


Polly Andrews and The Dragoon's Bracelet

by Auragongal



Category: Original Work
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, Isekai, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-12
Updated: 2021-01-17
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:48:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 87,578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25225585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Auragongal/pseuds/Auragongal
Summary: In an alternate version of Earth, Superheroes and Supervillains have been the norm since the 1940s. It is in this world, that one of the greatest heroes, The Dragoon, died while facing off against his arch-nemesis, Baron von Schwarzgeist, followed by the source of his power, the Dragoon's Bracelet, being absconded with to parts unknown.In the present year of 2020, sixteen-year-old Polly Andrews is dating the golden boy of her world, Dyna Lad, or at least... she was, before she broke up with him in public in the town of Shoresville, followed by the mysterious Kite Sid sending her off to another world where she is given a quest.Meanwhile, her best friend Troy is busy not only coming into his own powers, but also doing his best to find a way to get his friend and her Ex back to Earth safely.Will they succeed? Only time will tell.
Kudos: 13





	1. By The Sea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On what is supposed to be a normal vacation, three lives have one hell of a change made to them.

The morning sun reflecting off the waves was a welcome sight after a long stormy night. The light dancing off the water combined with the cool breeze of the ocean made the weather perfect for surfing among the waves as they began to swell, while the boardwalk was filled with people dressed in t-shirts and shorts and swimsuits while they stared at their smartphones or took pictures of the morning view.

“What a pleasant day!” said a young lady as she walked along the shop filled boardwalk of Shoresville. The sun was shining overhead in a clear blue sky as the warm weather was just perfect for a day at the beach- not too hot and not too cool. As for the girl herself, she was an ordinary sixteen-year-old girl with short, curly red hair that went down to her chin, grey eyes, and a white sundress that was decorated with small blue flowers and a thin, blue ribbon around her waist. She wore this with a pair of mary janes and white stockings and overall looked like she’d leaped out of a history book about the nineteen-fifties. This girl was named Polly Andrews, and she was happy about her appearance, no matter who stared at her as she was surrounded by people of the modern day.

Which made sense, since her home of Swing Town was a living museum to that very era. It was a shrine to the fifties where tourists could go see a world that was before flying cars and only related to the early days of Superheroes and Villains. Sure, there were signs of modern technology in the background, but even then, it didn't disrupt the immersion. Polly herself only used things like a cell phone for emergencies, especially since her role in the town just happened to be the girlfriend to the local hero, Dyna Lad. 

Yes, Dyna Lad, the young superhero who was making the news and quickly climbing the ladder to fame- a red-headed boy with big blue eyes that tended to fly around in a blue and gold costume while fighting his arch-nemesis, The Anachronism. Dyna Lad was a righteous boy, a hard worker, and had a great sense of duty when it came to the job, and as far as Polly knew, he was going to one day take over the role of his father, the legendary hero Dynamo. 

As for powers, Polly knew that Dyna Lad had super strength, super speed, flight-- of course, as well as heat vision, x-ray vision, freeze breath, and invulnerability. As for weaknesses, as far as Polly knew, he didn’t have any, which made getting a surprise for him a little difficult since he could see through walls. Still, Polly felt that even he needed a break, and so after her recent kidnapping by The Anachronism, cleared her schedule and headed on vacation for the summer with her best friend’s family.

“Hey, Polly!” said a lanky looking boy in a black hoodie, white t-shirt, jeans and spiked brown hair with a blue streak in it. This green-eyed brunette was Troy Dunnin, a boy who moved in recently with his father, Bill, after living with his mother for most of his life. 

“Hm?” Polly said in surprise just as Troy started waving his hand in front of her face, only for the boy to tease her a bit as he checked his smartwatch.

“You were zoned out for a good five minutes,” he said, while Polly found herself laughing.

“Oh, sorry!” she said then, “I was just thinking about things, that’s all.”

“Like your boyfriend?” Troy asked teasingly, “Honestly, I’m surprised he even let you come with me and dad in the first place! I mean, he _is_ The Anachronism after all.”

“I know, I know,” Polly said, “But Dyna Lad doesn’t know that, and I promised to keep your dad’s identity a secret from him!”

“Well, yeah,” Troy said, “I mean, I was there when it happened since he asked you to be my friend when the school year started.”

Polly nodded and was about to say something when someone came up to the pair of teens. He was a tall, handsome man with bright, greenish-yellow eyes, pale skin and pale blond hair with orange streaks. He was a lanky, cat-like figure as he seemed to have a slight smile on his face, and had a patchy beard on his chin as he waved at the teens with a manicured hand decorated with red nails and spoke.

“Hey, mind if I take your picture?” he said as he pulled out his phone from his jeans pocket, Polly swearing for a moment that she saw fangs in the man’s mouth.

“Um… why?” Polly asked, confused by the man dressed in jeans, a t-shirt, a red bandanna around his neck and had what looked like a guitar strapped to his back.

“Oh, no reason, I just like to take pictures of cute couples.” the man said with a grin, “So, want me to take your picture?”

“Sure!” Troy said with a laugh, “Though, you’ll have to settle with me and Polly being just friends!”

“Not a problem!” the man then said, his catlike eyes turning towards Polly, “So miss, how about you?”

“Well, I don’t see the harm in one picture being taken…” Polly said with a shy smile, while the man twirled his phone in his hand and grinned.

“Wonderful!” he said, before pointing the camera of his phone at the two and snapping a picture. Once he was done, he showed it to the two teenagers and smiled, “So, what do you think?”

“It’s a nice shot!” Troy then said with a grin, “You really captured Polly’s smile there, doesn’t look forced at all!”

“Um, y-yeah, it looks nice,” Polly said, not really sure of how photography could be used but still tried to be polite.

“Thank you!” the man then said, “Though I’ll admit, you’d probably look better as a blonde than a red-head, but that’s just me.”

“I-I see,” Polly said as she ran her fingers through her hair, “Well sir, have a nice day!”

“Thank you, hope you have a good one as well!” the man then said, before turning around and walking away from Troy and Polly, whistling an odd tune as he did so. As he walked away, though, Polly did get a good look at his guitar- a white and red Saturn style one that reminded the girl of a cat’s head.

“What a strange guy,” Polly said before she looked at her friend in concern, “What’s wrong, Troy?”

“Your hair!” he said, pointing at her locks, “It’s turned white as snow!”

“What!?” Polly said, before pulling a compact out of her bag and opening it up. The moment she saw the change in hair color, her grey eyes widened as she held her compact tightly, “Holy cats!”

“Think that guy stole your hair color?” Troy then suggested, only for Polly to laugh.

“If he did, he can keep it!” she then said, “It might be a refreshing change compared to being mistaken for Dyna Lad’s sister all the time!” 

“Yeah, the fact you both have- er, I mean _had_ red hair was kind of weird to me,” Troy said as he started walking towards the beach, “Anyway, Dad said he had a surprise waiting for us at the beach, want to go check it out?”

“Gee, I’d love that, Troy!” Polly said with a smile only for Troy to sigh and shake his head.

“One of these days, I’ll get you to talk like a normal person, Polly.”

“I like the way I talk, Troy!” Polly said in protest, “I think it’s nifty!”

“Right,” Troy said with a groan before giving up for the day.

Later on at the beach, Troy and Polly would discover exactly what his father was up to. Dressed in his black and blue costume, was the Anachronism, the wide lenses on his mask obscuring his eyes as he tinkered away at a complex looking machine that Polly could only describe as futuristic. In fact, as The Anachronism laughed maniacally while people were taking pictures with their phones, before he pulled out an egg-like device and opened it up, revealing a portal as he reached inside it and pulled out a hoverboard.

“Yes!” he exclaimed as he pressed a button on his gauntlet to turn his costume into a wetsuit, the cape shrinking away as his face remained obscured, all while the waves started to get taller as people grabbed their surfboards to ride them, “With this Tidal Amplifier, I can now surf the wildest of waves as if they were nothing! Not to mention that it’s completely harmless and used for recreational purposes only-- Oh hello Miss Andrews, did you do something to your hair?”

“Some weirdo with a guitar stole the red from her hair,” Troy said with a shrug, causing The Anachronism to pause as he thought about something.

“Huh, I guess Kite Sid is in the area, not a villain as far as I’m aware, just an oddball who likes to steal hair colors… somehow.” the supervillain then said to his son before looking at the two teens, “Eh, probably nothing to worry about, are you two willing to learn some surfing? I’m sure it’ll be seismic as an experience.”

“No one uses ‘seismic’ in this time period, Dad, except for talking about earthquakes,” Troy said in annoyance while Polly merely chuckled as The Anachronism relaxed, “Seriously Dad, why are you even in costume? You’re supposed to be on vacation from doing Evil.”

“Well, how else am I supposed to take a vacation from evil by doing good things like enhancing a surfing experience?” The Anachronism then said, causing his son to merely groan.

“I don’t know, maybe not wear your costume?” Troy then said dryly before reaching into the egg-device and pulling out a hoverboard of his own, as well as one for Polly, “Anyway Polly, want to join me and dad in some fun?”

“Sure!” Polly said, before grabbing a hoverboard and getting on it, “I won’t go out too far into the water though since I’m still a beginner, not to mention I don’t want to get my dress wet!”

“Not a problem, Miss Andrews,” The Anachronism then said as he closed the egg-device and slipped it onto his belt, “I’m sure Troy will help you learn the basics of hover-surfing!”

“Thank you,” Polly said as she set the blue board on the ground and stepped onto it. Next thing she knew, a forcefield appeared around her body to keep her safe as the board lifted into the air. Troy began to instruct her on how to use the board, directing the movement with her feet and using pressure to dictate speed. So, with Troy’s help, she hovered above the shoreline, while The Anachronism surfed the waves like a professional. It was a peaceful moment as Polly and Troy had their fun together; no villainous schemes to worry about, no manipulation or threats, just two teens having fun.

It wasn’t long before this was interrupted, however. Someone pointed and shouted “Look, up in the sky!” which caused the two teens to stop and look up just in time to see a blue and gold blur fly towards the Tidal Amplifier just as a large wave started up out in the sea. Next thing either of them knew, the sea had swelled with anger as the machine was destroyed, throwing surfers off their board as some people were swept out to sea, including Polly and Troy. The blur moved to save the civilians rather quickly, before grabbing Polly from the sea as she lost her board to the depths.

“Polly are you alright!?” said Dyna Lad as he held the girl in his arms, before setting her down on the beach, all while Troy was still in the water, struggling to stay afloat in the raging water.

“I’m fine, but what about Troy!?” Polly said, pointing to the drowning boy to the red-headed hero, a hand on the pearl necklace she had on around her neck. “He’ll drown without any help!”

Dyna Lad looked out to the sea, only to watch as The Anachronism surfed the rough waves on his own hoverboard towards the other boy, looking frantic as he reached into the water to grab him. Dyna Lad then watched in shock as his arch-nemesis then saved the boy, pulling him onto his board and heading straight to shore before stopping in front of the red-headed hero.

“The Anachronism!? Here!?” Dyna Lad then said as he got between his nemesis and Polly, glaring at the older man as he prepared to fight. Instead, he found himself watching as The Anachronism instead set Troy on the ground, before pulling out a device and setting it onto the unconscious boy’s mouth. With a button press, the machine whirred to life, all while a frantic villain pressed on the boy’s chest as the air was sent into Troy’s lungs and water drained out of them.

“Come on, son!” The Anachronism then said as he tried to save his son’s life, all while the actual hero hovered off the ground in confusion.

“Polly, why did The Anachronism call Troy, son?” Dyna Lad then said to his girlfriend, only for her to glare at him as she spoke.

“Because, Dyna Lad, Troy _is_ The Anachronism’s son,” she said as she crossed her arms, “And you were just going to let him drown, weren’t you?”

“Wh-What? No!” Dyna Lad said, “I was about to rescue him, but The Anachronism saving him caught me off guard! Wait, you knew my arch-nemesis’ identity and didn’t tell me!?”

“I promised to keep a secret, Dyna Lad!” Polly then said as she and her boyfriend began to argue.

“Why did you keep your promise to a villain and his son!?” Dyna Lad then said, “Did he threaten you into doing it? Blackmail you?”

“The Anachronism is an honorable man, Dyna Lad!” Polly said, while a crowd gathered around them and started filming the fight with their phones, “He at least treats me like a person when he kidnaps me, honors the Code and even lets me hang out with his son casually since he trusted me to be Troy’s friend!”

Troy coughed then, waking up from nearly drowning as the device remained on his mouth before he was hugged by his father, who glared at Dyna Lad through his mask. As the man let Troy go and stood up, he then walked up to Dyna Lad and spoke.

“Dyna Lad, why didn’t you save my son?” he said sternly as the young hero then ignored the villain to continue talking to Polly.

“Oh, so he lets you befriend his son, huh?” Dyna Lad then said jealously as he looked to Polly, “Also, what happened to your hair?”

Polly looked at Dyna Lad in shock before reaching up to take off the pearl necklace around her neck. Then, quietly, she shoved the string into Dyna Lad’s hands before walking over to check on Troy in silence as he sat down on a large box nearby.

Dyna Lad was stunned, as he recalled that he gave her the necklace as a sign of them being together and that her giving it back to him meant only one thing, especially as some people were cringing as he realized just what had happened.

“Polly…” Dyna Lad said, only to be sucker-punched by The Anachronism, and sent flying across the sand. Dyna Lad, however, didn’t respond as he clutched the pearls in his hand, the realization of Polly breaking up with him hitting the hero harder than the punch.

“That was for my son, you ill-begotten son of a wombat!” The Anachronism then said as he then pulled another device from his belt, this time a phone, and with a click of a button, started dialing a number on it, before holding it up to his ear and waiting for an answer. 

“Yes, hello, Lady Wonder? I’d like to file a complaint to the Council, Dyna Lad had done nothing while a civilian was in danger. Who? Our son.” he then said as Dyna Lad got up and flew over to Polly, ignoring the implications of what The Anachronism had just said in favor of trying to appeal to his beloved Polly.

“Polly, please, don’t you think you’re being rash here?” he said only for Polly to slap the superhero across the face- though he didn’t feel any pain from this.

“Oh cut the gas, Dyna Lad!” she then said, “I am sick and tired of you putting me over everyone else! Just because I’m your girlfriend doesn’t mean that you should always put my life over other people’s!”

“But, Polly…” 

“No buts, Dyna Lad! In fact, I wish I was as far away from you as possible!”

The silence that followed was palpable between Polly and Dyna Lad, a few whispers going through their audience--- some relating to what The Anachronism had said about him and Lady Wonder, the world’s greatest hero having a son, others over the fact that Dyna Lad, the golden boy of the superhero world was actually having problems in his seemingly perfect life. However, the silence ended for just as soon as Troy got off the box he was sitting on, it started to shake and crack as it broke apart, revealing the same guitarist that Polly and her friend had seen earlier that day.

“So!” said Kite Sid as he rubbed his hands together, “The little lady wants to be as far away as possible? Well, time to get to work as a faerie godfather and grant that wish!”

“Wait, what!?” both Polly and Dyna Lad said, the young hero moving to try and stop the cat-eyed man as he pulled his red and white guitar off his back only to be blown away by a snap of the man’s fingers. Next, he began to play, the sound from the electric guitar being like it was plugged in, though there wasn’t an amp in sight. The song was one that brought to mind a call to adventure, and as Polly looked down, she found herself unable to move as a runic circle appeared beneath her feet. The circle then began to glow as Kite played faster and faster, the man becoming more cat-like as his fingers flew across the strings. Phantom drums started to play in the background of the guitar solo, all while the light around Polly grew brighter and brighter. 

Polly soon screamed in pain as she felt like she was being torn apart, and in a flash of light, she was gone.

“Polly!” Dyna Lad said as Troy looked on in shock as his best friend was just sent away to who knew where, then the red-headed hero grabbed Kite Sid by the shirt and lifted him up into the air, a scowl on his face that could melt steel, “Where is she? What did you do to her!?”

“Simply granted her wish,” Kite then said casually, as though his life wasn’t in possible danger, “Seriously kid, I think you might have a problem if a break up hits you this hard.”

“She… she couldn’t have been serious!” Dyna Lad said in denial, “Please, you got to send me after her, so I can talk with her once she cools down!”

“Hmm…. maybe I will, maybe I won’t,” purred Kite Sid, “Then again, who’s to say that she will take you back once she’s got a clear head?”

“She will, I know she will!” Dyna Lad then said, “Please! I beg you to send me to wherever you sent Polly!”

“Hmm… alright, but if she doesn’t take you back, then I’ll have to think of something to take from you instead, perhaps that necklace you hold so dear?”

“Yeah, fine, just send me to her already!” Dyna Lad said, and once again Kite Sid played on his guitar, and once again the circle showed up on the ground and sent someone away. Once the red-headed hero was gone, Kite looked towards Troy just as the Anachronism finished his call and started heading over to his son and the strange guitarist.

“So kid, you want to go on an adventure too?” Kite then said to Troy, only for the brunet to shake his head.

“No thanks, I’d rather not let my dad get worried,” he then said, “Though if you have a way I can keep an eye on Polly, that’d be good.”

“Fair enough,” Kite then laughed, before waving his hand and bringing up a crystal ball, and handed it to the teenage boy, “Here, just focus on who you want to see, and they’ll show up in the crystal.”

“Thanks,” Troy then said just as the Anachronism put his hand on his son’s shoulder.

“Son, where’s Miss Andrews and Dyna Lad?” said the supervillain as he noticed the two were missing.

“Well, while you were talking to mum on the phone,” said Troy, “Kite Sid sent them to another place, and gave me a crystal ball to keep track of Polly with.”

“And Dyna Lad?”

“Screw him, he was going to let me drown, he can be eaten by lemmings for all I care.” Troy said as he focused on Polly, and soon saw her appear in the crystal, surrounded by thorns as The Anachronism watched as well, “Well, good to know that it works.”

“That’s my boy,” The Anachronism then said with a smile as he patted his son’s shoulder, “Come on, let’s get back to the hotel room and get packing, I think while Dyna Lad’s away, the perfect revenge on him is for me to go hero and take over his spot as Swing Town’s guardian while he’s away.”

“So, finally going Good?” Troy then said as he carried the crystal in his hands, watching as a young man with tanned skin and old-fashioned looking clothes found Polly and pulled her out of the thorns.

“For now, if only because it will irritate Dynamo,” The Anachronism then said with a laugh, while also planning to keep Polly’s family informed of her and Dyna Lad’s disappearance, all while he and his son watched the mysterious boy in the crystal carry the sleeping Polly away. 

  
And so father and son began observing an unusual adventure…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, here we meet our female lead and title character, Polly Andrews, and get a peek at the alternate earth she hails from. Now, as I originally wrote this last year, there's no mention of current events found in 2020 on our Earth. As a result of this, I can happily call this an AU version of Earth, well, more of an AU version of Earth due to the whole Superhero thing going on in it.
> 
> We also meet Polly's friend Troy, the son of a now Ex-supervillain who is VERY fun to write in my opinion, and his father The Anachronism who I intended to embody the wackiness of the Silver Age of comics.
> 
> And yes, The Anachronism married a superheroine, how that happened will be revealed later on in the story, but do know that Mind Control was not involved. The Anachronism may be a villain, but even he has standards.
> 
> As for Dyna Lad, I'll be blunt, he's supposed to be an Expy of Superboy and his father (and also grandfather) is an expy of Superman... though I'll say this now- not all is as they seem in the House of Dyna...
> 
> Finally, there's Kite Sid, the source of this story's isekaiing. I don't know how many stories have a person be isekai'd through the power of rock, for all I know, I could be the first. Either way, there's a lot more to Kite than meets the eye, and those things will be explored as the story goes on.


	2. Mint

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A young Shapeshifter goes about is day, and gets an interesting surprise

_“Mint, time to wake up.”_

Green eyes opened at the sound of his mother’s voice before he sat up and yawned. The tall young man was Mint Wood, and as he got out of bed to get dressed, the fifteen-year-old boy yawned as he rubbed his eyes and headed to the dresser to pull out a pair of soft leather pants, a pale green shirt and a black, high collared vest with yellow accents. As he slipped on his clothes and a pair of sturdy boots, he ran a hand through his wavy black hair and slicked it back, making it look like a small lion’s mane with how messy it was. Of course, he was also careful not to touch the three, small, sharp horns on his head else his hand would bleed, and he didn’t want to stain his clothes after his mother worked so hard to buy them for him. 

After he was dressed, he headed into the kitchen to eat breakfast with his mother Carmen and his half-sister, Eileen. They were clearly unrelated in appearance as he sat down at the table. For starters, his mother was a foot shorter than Mint, with long, bushy brown hair, an hourglass figure and bright green eyes that held a hint of ferocity to them. As she stood at the stove in her favorite green, long-sleeved dress, and a dye-stained leather apron, it was clear from the way she held herself that she was not a woman to be trifled with- as quite a few bandits that tried to assault her on the road had learned the hard way.

As for his half-sister, Eileen Kuro was tall like Mint and their father, Koichi, though while Mint was a stunning six feet five inches, Eileen was a head shorter than him, even with her straight black hair styled into twin buns. Her eyes were brown and almond-shaped like their father’s and she was an athletic young woman who trained constantly when she wasn’t helping their mother in the shop downstairs. Currently, she wore a blue shirt and grey leggings, her usual workout clothes. Though, as their mother placed a stack of pancakes on the table, Mint noticed his younger half-sister stare at him, and soon caused Mint to clear his throat to speak.

“Something on your mind, Eileen?”

“Just wondering when you’re going to get a girlfriend,” she said, “You know I can’t start dating until after you’ve been dating for half a year thanks to that stupid Miravellan custom.”

“I know,” Mint said as he ate his breakfast, “But I will start ‘dating’ as you put it when the right girl or boy comes along.”

“Awww… but when will that be?” Eileen whined impatiently.

“It will happen when it happens, you don’t rush this sort of thing, Eileen,” Mint said calmly as he ate his pancakes.

“Mint, there are some nice girls in the village that are interested in you, how can you not like any of them?” Eileen then asked as she twirled her fork.

“I grew up with them,” Mint said, “As such, I only see them as friends, nothing more.”

“Well, what sort of girl do you like?” Eileen then asked, causing Mint to flinch and look to his mother for help, mainly because he wasn’t even sure of the answer yet.

“Eileen, stop interrogating your brother,” Carmen said bluntly, causing Eileen to flinch at her mother’s glare.

“Yes Step-mom,” Eileen said in defeat, while Mint remained quiet or else risked a death glare next. 

“Now Mint,” Carmen then said, “Don’t forget you have deliveries to make after you weed the garden, as well as do some hunting today, we’re running low on meat down in the basement cold room.”

“Of course, Mother,” Mint said with a smile, being the sort of young man who enjoyed some hard work, “If I have time, I’ll also visit Grandfather on the mountain.”

“Great, visiting the old lizard…” Eileen said flatly as she sighed and ate her pancakes.

“Eileen,” Carmen warned, “Just because you’re not related by blood, doesn’t mean you can belittle my side of the family.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know,” Eileen said, “Not like the old lizard cares for a human such as me anyway…”

“Silvas does care for you in his own way,” Carmen then said, “Sure, he’s a dragon but you should still visit him once in a while.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever…” Eileen said with a groan, while Mint remained silent and finished his breakfast quickly before another fight broke out. While he did care for his family, he did wish his sister would at least try to go along with her life in Fanterra, rather than fight against it as she had been for six years.

Then again, her personality did make things interesting every now and then.

~0~

Later on in town, Mint was carrying packages in his arms, making his deliveries for his mother’s apothecary shop. The shop had been in the family for over two centuries; the legend went that the town’s guardian, Silvas the dragon used his powers to build it as a gift for his great-great-great-grandmother, Sapphire Wood. While the legend was true, what visitors to the village of Thornsborough didn’t know was that the shop was one of two gifts of love from Silvas, the other being an amulet that Sapphire wore until her death. 

“Oh Mint, there you are!” a woman’s voice said, causing him to flinch as he was drawn out of his thoughts, the owner of the voice being a beautiful woman with pointed ears and long, greying brown hair pulled back into a bun that led into a ponytail. Most notable about her though was the fact that she had a wolf’s tail and brown eyes. She wore a leather vest over a white shirt and brown pants and had a pair of sturdy looking boots on her feet and a bow slung over her shoulder.

“Oh, hello Mrs. Cortez,” Mint said in greeting, before noticing that next to her, was another wolf lady, this one about Mint’s age with black hair and tail, and golden eyes. She wore a simple pink dress with a white apron, and to some, looked as beautiful as her mother. “Oh, Rosa, are you and your mother out shopping?”

“Yeah,” said Rosa with a shy smile, “we were about to head to your mother’s shop to pick up an order.”

“Oh, the insecticide?” Mint said as he pulled his bag off his shoulders and started digging through it, “Mustard, red pepper flakes, garlic, and horseradish. Pretty popular among young women, must be pretty useful against insects!”

“Yeah, insects…” Rosa said while her mother laughed, “Umm… Mint, do you want to go to the Festival with me?”

“Oh, the Dragon Festival?” Mint said in surprise, before politely adding, “I’m sorry Rosa, but I’m visiting family that evening, though I do hope you have fun without me.”

“Oh,” said Rosa sadly, while her mother chuckled a bit.

“Well, we won’t keep you busy, Sugarhorns,” Maria said, “You’re a young shapeshifter, go finish your chores and go have some fun.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Cortez,” Mint said with a smile as he went on with his deliveries and left mother and daughter alone.

“Mother, did you really have to laugh at my failure?” Rosa then asked as her pointed ears drooped slightly.

“Oh honey, I wasn’t laughing at you,” Maria said to her daughter, “I was laughing at how clueless Mint is about your feelings for him.”

Rosa stammered and blushed as she thought about her crush. She had grown up with the young shapeshifter and personally felt that her love for Mint was true. Though, she did hope he’d return her feelings one day if she ever got the courage to tell him. Sadly, today wasn’t the day as she had planned to let Mint know how she felt during the festival.

As she lamented her plan being foiled by Mint’s family obligations though, her mother simply patted Rosa on the shoulder, before wondering just what her husband was up to.

~0~

In the mid-afternoon sun, Mint was walking into the woods near Mount Silvas, with just a couple of waterskins, a knife and the clothes on his back. His tanned skin getting darker in the shadows of the trees as he walked out of the sunny mountain road. The forest was dark in the early summer, causing Mint to shift his eyes so that they could see in the shadows of the trees, before shifting his right arm into a proper weapon for hunting deer. He took a deep breath as he felt the space between the bones hollow out and form a tube as his palm sprouted a nozzle for needles to come out. Next, he raised his arm and focused, before firing a needle at a nearby tree, the yellowish, bone-like spike trembling a bit as it struck its mark.

Satisfied, Mint then started stalking the woods, looking for deer to take home to his mother. He soon spotted some tracks on the ground and followed them, being careful in his movements as not to scare off his prey. 

This continued until he found a clearing with a small herd of deer in it. Turning off his night vision before he moved closer, he then raised his arm, aimed at a rather large buck, and fired a needle straight for his skull. Mint watched as the deer went down, and was about to get out of the way of a few frightened deer when he heard a howl nearby, causing him to jump onto a nearby tree. Mint watched as the deer started to flee just as a large wolf man of about eight feet tall entered the clearing, a wild look on his face as his feet were bare and furry, as were his arms. 

The stranger, a heavy set wolf man with a wicked scar on his face was Sue Cortez, the local blacksmith, and as Mint watched the giant wolf grab a fleeing deer in his bare hands, he forced himself to turn away as the wolf snapped the creature’s neck. To Mint, Sue was a terrifying man, though he had a good heart, and while Mint always tried to be polite around the man, he was still afraid he’d lose his head to Sue’s mighty hammer.

“Come on out, I can smell ya!” Sue then growled causing Mint to flinch before he climbed down from his tree and walked into the clearing.

“H-Hello, Mr. Cortez,” Mint said with a strained smile, “How are you today?”

“I’m fine,” said Sue gruffly as he looked down at the young man before him, “Everything alright with your family?”

“Everything is fine, Mr. Cortez,” Mint said with a smaller, more natural smile as he started to relax around the giant wolf, who then nodded as he picked up his kill before looking at the deer with the needle in its skull.

“Nice shot, Mint,” Sue then said as the young shapeshifter moved to pick up the dead deer he had killed, only to stop when he noticed something in the wind. It sounded like a trumpet to Mint, and as he looked to Sue, he noted that the wolf’s pointed ears twitched as he heard it too. The two were on their guard as they looked up and saw the creature fly through the sky before it landed in a nearby branch. 

It was an ugly, pigeon-toed thing, with long arms and legs that reminded Mint of bird legs, as well as a membrane between the limbs that formed wings. It was covered in purple fur with a dark, spiraled horn and wicked-looking fangs in its mouth, though what was most prominent was the one large eye that seemed to take up most of its face!

“A sheboolie, here?!” Mint said in surprise, before looking towards Sue and seeing a concerned look on his face. As the creature growled at them though, it was clear that it was hungry, and as people, they were the thing’s most likely targets. The sheboolie then lunged at the pair, only for its face to be punched in by Sue as Mint shifted spinnerets into his wrists and quickly spun a web with them, ensnaring the beast. Next, Mint started spinning within the middle of the clearing, using the centrifugal force to lift the creature into the air for a hammer throw right at Sue, who punched the beast again, this time towards Mint who punched it right back. 

While he wasn’t as strong as Sue, Mint could still pack a wallop as he sent the beast flying, the two playing a quick game of punch pong with the unfortunate sheboolie as the ball. Then, once the beast was quite punch drunk, Sue then grabbed it and flipped it over his back, slamming its head into the ground. Then, while it was dazed, Sue slammed into the creature with his elbow from above, crushing its spine.

Mint took his turn next, taking a deep breath as he felt the skin of his arm split apart along the side, before sliding out a curved blade with jagged teeth surrounding it. Taking a deep breath and curling his fingers, he then felt the blade rotate, but not damaging his body as he ran in and sliced off the sheboolie’s head. As the beast’s head rolled to the side, Mint looked uncomfortable with what he had to do, before silently looking to Sue.

“You did good, boy.” Sue said as he got up and patted the teen’s shoulder, “You’ll make a fine Woodsman one day.”

“Thank you,” Mint said quietly as he looked at the sheboolie on the ground before his eyes caught something flit behind a tree. “Listen, can you take the deer I killed and the sheboolie’s remains back to my mother’s shop? I… have something I need to do in the family Galapaga.”

“Sure thing,” Sue said gruffly, before adjusting the dead deer on his shoulders and using his mighty arms to pick up the other deer and the dead sheboolie, with Mint making a bag for the head with the use of spinnerets. Once it was attached to Sue’s belt, the giant wolf man left and Mint was on his own as he started heading deeper into the forest. As he walked, the foliage gave way to plants that were best described as fantastic- trees with purple, star-shaped leaves, heart-shaped flowers in all sorts of colors, and fungi of all types glowed on the ground and lit Mint’s path. Even a few strange animals lurked in the shadows, as seen when Mint spotted a winged goat with a squirrel’s tail run across his path. While all of this would have seemed quite strange to an outsider, to Mint, this was pretty normal, especially the fact that all the patches of flowers and fungi were human-sized, while the trees looked like they had faces!

This was the Galapaga, a special place in Mint’s heart as he took in the familiar sights and sounds of it. Of course, while normal people seemed to think it was just an unusual area scattered all across Fanterra, for shapeshifters the spots were considered sacred to some families. Mint’s family was no exception to this, and as he stopped in the middle of the path leading to a special spot in the Galapaga, Mint looked around, feeling like he was being watched.

“Come on out, John,” he then said calmly, and soon enough, a tall, muscular man came out from behind an especially thick tree, his face obscured by a hood as he adjusted his white shirt and brown pants. John was a mysterious man to Mint, having been the caretaker for the family Galapaga for as long as he could remember. In fact, Mint wondered just how long John had been caretaker of the Galapaga as he recalled his grandmother Violet having known him, according to his mother’s stories. Sure he had a great, great, grandfather named John, but he doubted that this was the same man, after all, he’d have to be quite old by now and yet the man standing before him seemed to be only a few years older than Mint, at least.

“Hello, Mint,” John then said, snapping the young shapeshifter out of his thoughts.

“Hello, John,” Mint then said politely, “How are you this afternoon?”

“I’m fine, but how are you?”

Mint paused for a moment, the words he wanted to say caught in his throat. For some reason, he felt he could never lie to John and if he tried, he’d probably get into deep trouble with the man. “I’m… not sure how I feel, to be honest, I was happy earlier, but then a Sheboolie attacked Sue and me, and now… I just feel horrible.”

“I saw the battle,” John then said, “You did well to protect yourself and Sue, but you also wanted to preserve the life of the sheboolie, instead of killing it, correct?”

“That… is correct,” Mint said with a sigh, “Sheboolies are known to be sapient creatures, with tribes and trade, but the one Sue and I faced was feral, I… wasn’t sure what else to even do.”

“You did what you had to, Mint… you can’t save everyone and everything.”

“I can try…” Mint said, before pausing before a dead tree and used his knife to cut off the tip of his index finger. Instead of landing solidly against the ground, however, the fingertip instead melted into a small green puddle and seeped into the ground. Then, something miraculous happened- the tree came back to life! As leaves rapidly sprouted on the tree followed by flowers blooming, Mint smiled at his handiwork and continued walking.

“You needn’t do that,” John then said in concern as he walked alongside the young shapeshifter.

“I know, but I felt it was the right thing to do,” Mint said, watching as his fingertip grew back almost instantly. This power to revive was exclusive to shapeshifters in the world of Fanterra, the Primordia that flowed through their veins being described as liquid life. This substance was so a part of their systems, that when a shapeshifter died, they would not leave a corpse, but instead melt into the ground and bring forth a new form of life. That was Mint’s fate when he eventually died, and while he accepted it, he felt that he wouldn’t really die, but live on as a new form. That was what he was taught by John after all.

Eventually, the pair reached the central grove of the forest, where a great tree stood that like the other trees in the Galapaga had a face. Unlike the rest of the trees, however, was the fact that this tree also seemed like it had a body attached to this woman’s face, save for the hands and feet. In fact, the face’s eyes also seemed like they could open at any moment, and both John and Mint knew all too well whose tree this was. 

“Happy Birthday, Grandmother Sylvia,” Mint then said as he kneeled before the tree and paid his respects. The tree woman didn’t answer, she never did, but he did tell her about what was happening in his life since his last visit a month ago, “Life in the village is quiet as always, thanks to your father, and with the Dragon Festival coming up, I’m sure he’s preparing for his flight. I’ll be sixteen in a few days as well, which means I’ll be able to go on my first adventure! I’m quite excited about it, as you can probably tell, I even wonder where the road will take me!”

As he continued to speak, he looked up at the woman fused to the tree and noticed that she seemed to smile, though whether that was a trick of the light or not, he did not know. He felt better talking to his great-great-grandmother’s remains, and as he got up to leave, he gave her a polite bow and spoke once again. “Farewell Grandmother, I’ll speak to you again in a few days.”

With that, he left the grove and headed back down the path. As he left the Galapaga Mint’s thoughts wandered to his next destination, Mt. Silvas, and the legends about the mighty dragon that the mountain was named for. 

Silvas was Mint’s thrice-great-grandfather and had been an important part of his life- acting as a father figure to him when his real father was away for the first ten years of Mint’s life. In fact, Mint’s father didn’t even know that the young shapeshifter even existed until the man came to visit Carmen with Eileen in tow.

Mint loved his family, especially his grandfather Silvas, as the old dragon had plenty of stories to tell. Whether it was about where a certain treasure in his horde came from, or what it was like a thousand years ago, Mint enjoyed listening to Silvas talk about his life and his family. In fact, one of his favorite stories was the one about Sapphire’s death, and how Silvas held her hand as she breathed her last and turned into primordia next to a lake, spawning two kinds of lilies- deep bluish silver ones on the shore and pink, double water lilies on the water itself. As for the primordia that were in Silvas’s hand, that had turned into a flock of blue birds that always spent the summer nesting in Silvas’ cave.

Another story was how Silvas had witnessed the fall of the kingdom of Draconia, where the kingdom’s princess, Sara, had fallen in love with a married man who had taken on the form of a lion and was restored by his wife when she had flown in on a griffin. Silvas was a general at the time and was about to get the princess back home when he saw her fly past him on a stolen griffin. In fact, while Silvas and many other dragons disapproved of their princess marrying another woman’s husband, her father was said to have been browbeaten by the spoiled brat into letting the marriage happen, especially since the princess had wiped the poor man’s memory with a spell. However, the man’s wife was persistent and traded a dress as brilliant as the sun for a chance to sleep in her husband’s bed chamber, and tried to break the spell but failed. Then, the woman had tried again after trading a golden hen and her twelve chicks and succeeded with Silvas’ help- who had made sure the groom didn’t drink the drugged wine that put him into a deep sleep like last time. In fact, he had even helped them escape by delaying his own soldiers as the couple got away on the back of the griffin. Silvas had lost his position for his failure to capture the groom, but according to him, he gave a rather surprising retort to the king about the whole situation.

_“Your Majesty, your daughter needs to learn that she can’t get everything she wants just because she asks for it. She can’t solve her problems with magic either, she needs to learn that hard work is just as important to the nobility as is their wealth and their status. They serve their people just as the people serve them, and if your daughter is too spoiled to know that, then she’s gonna ruin our kingdom!”_

That was five hundred years ago now, and as the legends went, Sara did indeed ruin her kingdom as Silvas had predicted before he had left Draconia for good. What’s more, the princess had been placed into a deep slumber inside a crystal prison, only to be awakened by her true love. Personally, Mint doubted that such a thing existed for such a spoiled brat, but if she hadn’t been awakened after a few centuries, then for all he knew, she may sleep for all time while her people were now scattered across the world of Fanterra.

Mint thought on more stories Silvas had told him- from how the dragon had fought off knights trying to slay him, to how he had fought off a monster called Gouldara back during Puck’s Rebellion over a millennia ago before the monster was sealed away, to even how Silvas had gotten into a bar fight that ended with him befriending the legendary Jack the Giant Slayer. Mint personally hoped to have a legend of his own someday, or even be a part of someone else’s legend if it was possible, and figured that adventuring would be the key to doing so. He loved his grandfather’s stories and hoped that he’d be able to one day tell some of his own to his family when he got married and had children. He wasn’t sure what he’d find on his first adventure, or even what he might encounter during it. He had heard from his mother that bandits sometimes lurked the roads of the world and that he should be prepared to fight them, which led to him learning the arts of self-defense from her when he was at least five years old. His mother didn’t talk about her past that often, and with a good reason, but he didn’t mind. Her past was her business after all, and if she wanted to share it, then she would.

Mint’s thoughts were interrupted as he looked up at the sky and saw a rainbow overhead, the multi-colored arc’s end being visible up ahead as he followed it. As he started running before it faded, he wondered what he would find at the end of it. A pot of gold wasn’t something he really wanted as he was set to inherit Silvas’ horde once he was of age. Not to mention that he didn’t want to run afoul of the fair folk either since they could be rather cruel if they thought themselves offended. Another possibility was that the Goddess-Knight of Dreams, Rochelia would be visible as it was said that rainbows were the trail behind her flying sword as she traveled the world giving important visions to people, or just delivering sleep in general to the occasional insomniac. 

Mint was rather excited at the thought of meeting a goddess and wondered how polite he should be with one if he ever did. However, his musings were cut off when he reached the rainbow’s end and saw it was in the middle of a patch of red and blackthorns in front of a sheer cliff. This patch, Mint knew, was slumberthorn, and that anything caught in it would be put into a deep sleep until the thorns were removed from their bodies. What’s more, this patch of slumberthorn was a safeguard to keep adventurers out of Silvas’ lair at the top of the cliff. Then again, even if an adventurer managed to make their way through the thorns, they’d have to then find a way up the sheer cliff before finding the hidden entrance to the dragon’s lair.

As Mint hardened his body against the sharp thorns and he walked through the briar, however, he could see the rainbow’s light bathe his body in different colors. But he ignored this to focus on what was in the middle of the briar, expecting something important and possibly life-changing like a magical treasure or a sword.

What he did not expect, was a girl in an odd-looking dress and short, curly white hair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here, we meet the male lead of our story, Mint Wood. He's a young shapeshifter from a long line of shapeshifters, and tries his best to be a gentleman and genuinely help people. We also see a day in his life- ranging from interacting with his mother and human half-sister to seeing one of his friends in town in the form of Rosa Cortez.
> 
> Of course, he's also a bit dense, going by Rosa's conversation with her mother after their meeting.
> 
> Also, writing out what one can do with Shapeshifting as an ability is pretty fun, in my opinion.
> 
> Anyway, I hope Mint is a likable character in his own right since I personally like the character and since I plan on him being Polly's love interest, that he's also a good character people would want a relationship with as well.


	3. A New World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Polly awakens in the world of Fanterra and makes a new friend

Carmen Wood was in the garden behind her shop, washing her hands of blood from the deer and sheboolie that Sue had brought her. While she did expect her son to have been the one to bring home a deer, she had been pleasantly surprised by the sheboolie, which she knew would be useful to her. The horn could be sold as an instrument for a high price, the eye could be used for medicine while the tongue could also be cooked and eaten. Most important about the remains, however, would be the wings- the thick membrane being useful in a rather delicious jerky from her personal experience. Then again, the wings could also be turned into magic boots, but as a shapeshifter, she could not use magic, which meant no magic boots of levitation for her.

Not that she minded, she wasn’t fond of magic in the first place.

As her thoughts drifted to her son, however, she remembered that his birthday was coming up rather soon, as was his first adventure. Though she longed to go with him, Carmen knew it would be embarrassing for Mint to be seen adventuring with his mother, so she had to settle for another way to keep in touch- a pair of diaries she had paid someone to enchant so that she and another person could send messages to each other. While that would help her keep an eye on her son in a way and also be kept up to date on his adventures, she still worried about his future. Adventures could change people, that she knew, but more importantly, she feared what would happen to her son if he ever got used to killing. 

Sure, he was uneasy about killing sapient creatures, that much she knew, but when she was his age---

No. She didn’t need to think about that again. She was a free woman now, and she had a family of her own in spite of what her father had done to her. She wasn’t going to be like that ever again.

As she focused on her hands, she noticed the blood was all gone, and she rolled down the wide sleeves of her green dress. Then, just as she was about to head inside, she heard her son Mint running towards the shop.

“Mother!” he cried out, causing Carmen to look towards him and see that he was carrying a girl in a short, white dress decorated with blue flowers, and also wearing black shoes on her stocking covered feet.

_Wait, an odd looking dress?_ she thought to herself as she saw her son draw closer, then realization hit her and she let out a groan, “Oh boy, here we go again…”

“Mother, I need your help!” Mint said, clearly panicked by the unconscious girl.

“Calm down, Mint,” said Carmen as she looked towards a bench next to a patch of silver, claw-shaped flowers, silently signaling to her son to set the girl down on it. Once that was done, Carmen immediately set to work examining the white-haired girl. “Tell me what happened.”

“Well, I was on my way to visit Grandfather when I saw a rainbow,” Mint began, “I followed it and at the end, I found this girl unconscious in the slumberthorn.”

“Were you sure to remove all of the thorns?” Carmen then asked, looking towards her son as he nodded, “I see.”

“What do you think it means?” Mint then asked, “I mean, a girl doesn’t just appear out of nowhere, right? And why are her clothes so strange? I mean, I know that father and Eileen dressed oddly when I met them the first time, but do you think that she’s from their world?”

“Possibly,” Carmen said, before checking the girl’s hand and humming a bit, “Hmm… So, she’s got the mark of the Knight? That’s interesting…”

Indeed, as Mint looked at the girl’s right hand, she saw a black mark on it that looked like a knight’s helmet, reminding him of a card game his mother had taught him called Class Clash. Of course, as he shook that thought out of his mind, he then became worried about the girl not waking up.

“Is she alright?” Mint said as his mother checked the girl’s forehead.

“She’s running a fever, but other than that, she’s fine.” Carmen said as she picked up the girl in her arms and carried her inside, “I’ll put her down in the guest room, after that you’re helping me make medicine for her.”

“Yes, Mother,” Mint said with a small smile of relief, before following after the bushy-haired brunette into the shop’s backroom.

~0~

Polly Andrews groaned as she woke up, and found herself under a thick blanket in an unfamiliar room. To her, the wooden room looked like something out of a storybook, with a bookshelf near the wall, an empty fireplace, and some sort of furry creature sleeping in the corner. As her grey eyes looked around the room, she wondered how she got there, before remembering the events at the beach, and realized her wish had indeed come true. Though, she was immediately regretting it as she worried about her family and friends back home.

Then, there was a noise at the door, causing Polly to turn her head to see a woman with long, bushy brown hair, a blue dress, and a dye-stained apron come in with a tray covered in biscuits, jam, butter, and a cup of tea. As Polly sat up though, the woman looked at her with fierce green eyes that sent a chill down her spine before she spoke.

“So you’re awake.”

“Um, y-yes,” Polly said, as she saw the tray set down on a nearby table, “Who are you?”

“Name’s Carmen Wood, you’re in my home and shop, you’re not in your world anymore and oh yeah, you had a fever yesterday and were unconscious for a while.”

“A-Another world!?” Polly yelled only to be shushed by Carmen as she pointed to the creature in the corner, which shifted slightly before seemingly falling back asleep.

“Yes, now be quiet, my son’s still asleep.” Carmen said quietly as she pointed to the creature, causing Polly’s eyes to widen in surprise, “Now, who are you?”

“Polly Andrews.”

“Well then Polly, do you know how you got here?”

Polly nodded and as quietly as possible, told Carmen about the events of her world, and how she wished to get away from her ex-boyfriend Dyna Lad. Once that was done, the older woman sighed through her nose as she shook her head in disbelief.

“Faeries, I should have known,” Carmen said with a groan, “Well, you made your bed, best lie in it.”

“Am I stuck here?” Polly then asked, only for Carmen to shake her head no, “Then, how do I get home?”

“Beats the hell out of me, that’s for you to figure out, but I suggest you take time to clear your head a bit, it sounds like you went through a lot before you got here.”

With that, Carmen left the room, just as the sleeping creature in the corner stirred again. Polly watched as the furry, doglike creature then stood on its hind legs, before transforming into a handsome young man with messy, black hair and green eyes, and wearing a white shirt and grey pants. Polly then looked away from the stranger, not sure what to think before he spoke to her.

“You’re awake, that’s good,” he then said as Polly looked to see him smile gently at her, “My name’s Mint Wood, who might you be?”

“My name’s Polly Andrews, and erm… I met your mother a little while ago.”

“I see,” Mint said before he went to the tray on the table and picked it up before gently placing it on Polly’s lap, “Here, you must be hungry, you’ve been unconscious for a day, after all.”

“A whole day!?” Polly gasped, “Oh my gosh, I’m not sure how I can sleep for a whole day!”

“Your...gosh?” Mint said in confusion, “I’m sorry, but you speak quite strangely, is that normal speech for your world?”

“How did you know I’m from another world?” Polly asked.

“Oh, well, my father and my half-sister Eileen are from another world,” Mint said awkwardly, “They came here to Thornsborough about six years ago.”

Polly was silent, realizing that Mint was probably uncomfortable with talking about his family and decided not to push the subject. As she tried to figure out what to ask next, she drank the tea and found it to be quite delicious. Of course, she also thought about how Mint looked before and decided to ask a question.

“Are you a werewolf?”

“No, I’m a shapeshifter,” Mint said before pointing to a spot just past his forehead, causing Polly to finally notice the three horns arranged like a small crown. “Werebeasts are completely different, as they are cursed humans while shapeshifters are able to change form at will. We can’t become objects, however, but we can shift parts of our bodies into blades or tools when we need to.”

As he spoke, he demonstrated his ability to shapeshift, starting by turning his hand into a claw before he returned it to normal. This was followed by him making his finger into a small scalpel and cutting a bit of his hair off with it. While Polly was worried about the fallen lock making a mess, to her surprise it turned into a green slime that seeped into the floor which caused a lovely, pale green and small hydrangea to appear instead. 

“Golly!” Polly then gasped in amazement, while Mint plucked the flower from the floor and smiled, before getting up to put it in a nearby pot- a sign that this had apparently happened before.

“I’ll assume that’s a word to show you’re surprised,” Mint said with a small smile, his kind green eyes looking into Polly’s big grey ones. 

“You assume correctly,” Polly said with a small smile of her own, before looking away.

“Is something wrong?” Mint asked in concern.

“No, it’s nothing, just… not really sure how to feel about being in another world with shapeshifters,” Polly said, while Mint hummed a bit in thought.

“I’m sure you’ll figure something out. I mean, there has to be a reason why you’re in Fanterra, right?” Mint said politely, though as Polly glanced at him, he seemed unsure of how to help her. Before she could say anything else though, there was a tap at the window and Polly saw what looked like a beautiful blue bird with a long tail and a letter in its beak. As Mint hummed in surprise, he opened it and let the bird in. As the bird, which Polly noted looked similar to a bird of prey of some kind, rested on her lap, she also noted that it had a mark on its chest that looked like a bleeding heart. However, before she could ask about the bird, Mint let out a squeal of delight as he read the letter, catching the girl’s attention when he spoke.

“Father is coming for a visit tomorrow, and he said that he wanted to give me a gift before my birthday in a few days.” he said with a smile, before a thought occurred to him, “Though, I wonder how he’ll take to you? I mean… your appearance in front of my grandfather’s home was rather unexpected.”

“Your grandfather?” Polly asked, causing Mint to look a bit embarrassed as he explained.

“Yes, well… I found you in the briar in front of the entrance, he’s… um… well… if I tell you, will you try not to panic?”

“I’ll try,” Polly said and watched as Mint took a deep breath.

“My grandfather, well, great-great-great-grandfather, Silvas is… a dragon,” he said and waited for this information to sink in. 

“So… his home was… his lair?” Polly said, causing Mint to nod, “Why does he have a briar in front of his lair? Wouldn’t that hurt him?”

“Oh, Grandfather is tougher than you might think,” Mint said with a smile, “But he also built his lair atop a sheer cliff to keep out adventurers.”

“I... guess that makes sense,” Polly said, “I mean if he’s wanting to keep himself safe…”

“Oh, that’s not the reason at all! He actually makes it hard to visit for peace and quiet, he’s very wise and sometimes adventurers would visit him asking for advice or to borrow a treasure from his horde to help with their quest. He found this annoying and so he made it so that it would be quite difficult for adventurers to visit him.”

“I see,” Polly said, only for Mint to chuckle a little, “What’s so funny?”

“You seem to be taking this quite well.”

“I guess the shock of being in another world hasn’t set in yet,” Polly said with a small laugh, though in all honesty, she’d felt she best not let this guy know about her life with a superhero ex-boyfriend, just in case it made her seem insane to him, or worse, he was a supervillain’s minion in disguise.

“I… should probably let you rest,” Mint then said after feeling her forehead, “Your fever may have broken, but it could come back at any moment.”

“Oh… alright,” Polly then said, watching Mint leave. As she sipped the now cold cup of tea, she didn’t realize how much time had passed. And so, after carefully setting the now empty tray on the table, laid back down and closed her eyes to sleep.

~0~

The following day, Polly would find out just what sort of man Mint’s father happened to be. When she left the guest room she was given to rest in, she found herself face to face with a tall Japanese man with piercing brown eyes and a scar on his face that looked like he’d been in a fight. He wore a silver and white armored coat over a black shirt and blue pants, and he seemed to have been talking to someone in a compact mirror before he had spotted the girl in the blue and white sundress.

“Uh… I’ll talk to you later, Pietro,” he had said to the compact, and Polly managed to catch a glimpse of a man with antlers before the small mirror closed and he placed it in his pocket. Then, the man looked over Polly with his arms crossed before he hummed a bit and smiled as he held his hand out.

“Koichi Kuro, nice to meet ya!” he said, while Polly awkwardly shook it just as Mint and a girl with black hair and brown eyes like Koichi walked into the room from the stairs nearby.

“Polly Andrews,” the white-haired girl then said in response, just as Mint smiled at her while the girl with twin buns in her hair simply looked at Polly rather curiously.

“I see you’ve met my father,” Mint said, and Polly just then noticed that the boy and his father towered over her, and she was one of the tallest girls in her class at five feet, eight inches! Of course, as Mint continued, Polly found herself tapping the heels of her mary janes against the floor, “Are you feeling better?”

“Yes, I am,” Polly said with a smile, while Mint’s father looked between them with curiosity.

“Mint, did you get yourself a girlfriend?” he asked while hefting a couple of packages on his shoulder and causing both his son and Polly to blush.

“N-No, Polly only got here a couple of days ago, I barely know her, Father!” he stammered out while the girl with the twin buns snickered a bit.

“Guess the right girl came along, after all, Minty!” she said, causing Mint to blush even more as Polly realized this girl had to be the half-sister he mentioned the day before. 

“Eileen… please,” Mint said he quickly changed the subject, “Well, er, breakfast is ready if you two would like to join us.”

“Oh great, I love your mother’s cooking!” Koichi said as he sped upstairs, while Polly merely smiled at Mint and nodded at him and his sister. As they walked up the stairs to the kitchen, Polly was surprised to see that the house’s living room seemed almost normal, save for the crystals giving off light brighter than a lightbulb back home and lack of television and assumed that this world just didn’t have that technology yet. As for the kitchen, it seemed pretty standard, if old-fashioned- with a wood stove and an oven, a sink for washing dishes and oddly enough, indoor plumbing. While that last one was a welcome addition to Polly, she did wonder why everyone dressed as they came from a medieval fantasy game.

During breakfast though, Polly was silent as she ate her ham and eggs, while the rest of Mint’s family was rather talkative.

“So, Dad,” Eileen then said, “How’s the Mirror Knight job?”

“What’s a Mirror Knight?” Polly then asked, causing Koichi to smile as he happily explained.

“Well, the Mirror Knight’s job is to protect the king of Miravel and his family, and as Mirror Knight, I kind of get superpowers- the ability to scry for trouble, a helmet or cap that helps me detect lies and see through illusions to find the truth, oh, and this really cool bladed shield I can throw just like The Guardsman back in our world, I mean, I can tell you’re not from Fanterra thanks to your sundress,” Koichi said while Polly noted that the man was geeking out about an old superhero that no one had seen in years. Though, as she thought about it, she assumed that the current world she was in, Fanterra, did indeed have its own superheroes.

“So, how is the job going, Dad?” Eileen then said, poking her father with her fork.

“Oh, it’s going great!” he then said with a grin, “Why just the other day I helped Prince Joe White with an archaeological dig in Gol before he sent me on leave to spend time with my family in time for Mint’s Birthday.”

“I see,” Mint then said with a smile, “And how is Godmother Irene?”

“She’s doing well,” Koichi then said before picking up one of the packages he had brought home and passed it to his son, “Also, I managed to snag this as a gift with the prince’s permission.”

“Shouldn’t you wait until his birthday to give him anything, Koichi?” Carmen then said, “It’s still pretty early after all.”

“Eh, a couple of early presents won’t hurt, besides his godmother sent him something with me as well, and she also wanted me to pass along a message to you, Carmen.” Koichi then said with a sly look on his face.

“And what sort of message did Irene want to send me?” Carmen said before Koichi kissed her on the lips.

“The fun kind,” Koichi said, causing his wife to blush, while Mint looked at the long package he had received from his father. 

“Mother, may I be excused so I can open my gifts?” Mint said, his plate having been clean for a few minutes now, as had Polly’s.

“Sure,” Carmen said before looking at Polly, “You’re excused too, Polly, Eileen, I need to have some private words with Koichi.”

As Polly nodded, Eileen grabbed the other package and left the room as well. Once all three teens were in the living room, Polly found Mint sitting on the couch with the long package in hand, before he cut the string with his fingers and revealed what was inside.

There, unwrapped from its brown paper prison was the most beautiful sword that Polly had ever seen. The blade was long and white, and the crossguard looked like a pair of bird’s wings. The pommel itself was also carved to look like a swan’s head and the handle seemed to be made of a white stone that Polly didn’t recognize. As Mint examined the blade, he muttered to himself in a language that the girl didn’t recognize, causing Polly to wonder what he was saying before he smiled and strapped the sword to his belt. Then, he placed his attention on the package his sister held, carefully picking it up and examining it before Polly noticed that it had a seal on one side that resembled an apple in front of a mirror half-covered by a veil. Mint opened this package carefully, before pulling out a flat box and laying it on the coffee table in front of him.

As Polly moved closer, she soon found out the box contained a dark green cloak and a note that Mint read in silence before he smiled and spoke.

“It’s an enchanted cloak, nothing too extravagant, just one that’ll keep me warm in the winter and cool in the summer,” Mint explained while both Eileen and Polly asked the exact same question.

“What about the sword?”

“Oh that,” Mint said, “Well, it’s beautiful and well balanced, but that’s all I know so far. It’ll probably need a further appraisal from Grandfather.”

“Well, if he met a lot of adventurers, I guess it makes sense that he’d know a lot about swords,” Polly said as she sat down next to Mint, before frowning as she remembered her friend and family back home. “Golly, I hope everyone back home is doing alright.”

“I’m sure they’re fine,” Mint said reassuringly, “And perhaps if I take you to meet Grandfather, then he might know a way home for you.”

“Really?” Polly said with hope in her voice as she looked Mint in the eye while ignoring Eileen rolling her own eyes as she looked out the window.

“I promise that I’ll do anything I can to help get you back to your world,” Mint said with a smile.

“Thank you,” Polly said as she hugged Mint, surprising the shapeshifter before she pulled away. “Erm… sorry…”

“I-It’s fine,” Mint squeaked, “You just caught me off guard is all.”

Before Polly could apologize again, Carmen came into the room with Koichi, who was now sporting a bruise on his neck which he covered with the collar of his coat.

“So Mint, enjoy the gifts?” Koichi then said, just before Mint grinned at his father.

“I certainly did,” Mint said, before showing his mother his new sword. As Carmen whistled and started examining it as Mint had, she looked to her husband and raised an eyebrow.

“Looks to be in pretty good condition,” she said to him, “Surprised it didn’t break in your care.”

“Never gonna live that down, aren’t I?” Koichi said dryly while Carmen smirked.

“You were the one to break a sword on the old lizard’s hide, before attempting to punch him,” Carmen said, before handing the blade back to Mint and addressing him while Koichi grumbled to himself. “Now Mint, I need you to go pick up a couple of things in town, while you’re at it, show Polly around, since she’s probably going to be here a while.”

“Of course, Mother,” Mint said before looking to Polly, “Erm… Polly, do you feel well enough to go into town today?”

“Of course,” Polly said with a smile, “Thank you for showing me around, Mint.”

“You’re welcome,” Mint said with a small smile as he offered his arm to Polly and led her out of the house.

~0~

The town of Thornsborough was small and quiet as Polly walked with Mint through it. Though there were all sorts of beings, such as Humans and people with pointed ears and animal tails, Polly also noted that there were people with wings and horns and patches of scales on their bodies that Mint explained were Draconians- hybrids between dragons and humans.

As Polly looked around the village, she couldn’t help but notice people stare at her, which made her nervous as she looked to Mint. However, the shapeshifter simply looked at her with a reassuring smile, and Polly continued to relax around the young man.

Of course, as the pair neared the blacksmith's shop, Polly was met with a giant of a man that had pointed ears and a wolf’s tail. As Polly looked into his yellow eyes, the short-haired man’s most prominent feature was the wicked scar on his face that started on the right side of his jaw, went across his nose and ended well past his forehead. Polly wasn’t sure what caused such a scar to form, but whatever it was had to have been horribly painful. 

“Hello Mr. Cortez,” Mint then said to the giant wolf man, who simply nodded as he glanced at Polly.

“Mint. Good day, isn’t it?” he said gruffly, giving Polly the impression that he wasn’t really one for small talk.

“It really is,” Mint said, “Also, this is my new friend, Polly, I’m showing her around Thornsborough in case she’s in town for a while.”

“Sue Cortez. Don’t go causing trouble,” said the giant wolf to Polly, who simply gulped and nodded in silence.

“How’s Rosa today?” Mint then asked, “I saw her mother in the market, but she seemed to be in a hurry so we didn’t have time to speak.”

“Rosa’s sick today,” Sue then said, “Maria went to your mother’s shop to get some medicine.”

“Oh dear, I hope she’s alright,” Mint said with concern, “Any idea what might be wrong with her?”

Sue said nothing, instead of getting an awkward look on his scarred face. He was about to say something when a howl sounded above them, causing Polly to cringe as Mint looked up in worry. Then, a window opened and a girl with black hair and pointed ears poked her head out and looked at them. To Polly, the wolf girl was around her age and looked prettier than the white-haired girl.

“Papa…” whined Rosa as her ears tilted downward, “When is Mother coming back with the medicine?”

“She’ll come back as soon as she can, Rosa,” said Sue, “Just try and be patient, ok?”

“I’ll try, Papa,” Rosa said, before spotting Mint and Polly, “Oh, uh… h-hi Mint, who’s your friend?”

“This is Polly,” Mint said as the white-haired girl smiled and waved at Rosa, “She’s visiting for a little while.”

“I see,” Rosa said, before cringing in pain again, “Mint, will you be able to make it to the Dragon Festival after you visit your family?”

“I don’t know, Rosa,” Mint said with a sigh, while Sue headed inside the house, while Polly looked at Mint in confusion as Rosa simply sighed and closed her window for now.

“What’s the Dragon Festival?” Polly then asked as the two resumed their tour of Thornsborough, passing by a doctor’s clinic and a tower with two golden lilies in front of it.

“It’s a festival honoring my grandfather, Silvas,” Mint explained, “There's dancing, a feast and every year Silvas takes flight at night, giving a spectacular show as people watch him. Then it ends with a bonfire, at least that’s what I heard from my friend, Robin, I usually spend the festival visiting Grandfather.”

“I see,” Polly said, “I’m surprised this village would have a festival for a dragon, aren’t they usually causing trouble?”

“Not all of them,” Mint said, “Grandfather is one of the good ones, he protects this town as best as he can, actually.”

“Wow! He must be very strong then,” Polly said with a smile, only for Mint to pull her out of the street just as a mechanical man passed them by with a wave before continuing his morning jog to the center of the town.

“Who was that?” Polly said, looking behind her at the robot that had nearly run her over.

“That was Mr. Blue Sky, the town’s weather automaton,” Mint explained, “He moved here with his adopted daughter Robin a few years ago.”

“What does Robin look like?” Polly asked, only to see a woman with green hair run past them, holding an oil can in her hands before she tripped and hit the ground.

“Owww….” Said the woman with green hair, before she got up and spotted Mint and gave a nervous laugh, “Oh, uh… hi there.”

“Hello Robin,” Mint said politely, “Your father went running out before he was oiled up again?”

“Yeah,” said Robin sheepishly, before looking at Polly, “Nice to meet you, names Robin Blue Sky, inventor and mechanic for my dad.”

“Nice to meet you, Robin, I’m Polly Andrews,” the white-haired girl then said, holding her hand out to help Robin up. Once the older woman was standing, she smiled in thanks and picked up her oil can before she started running after her mechanical father once again.

“Well, that was nice of you,” A voice behind the two teens then said, causing them to turn around to see a man that was a little shorter than Mint, with chin-length black hair, a goatee, and wearing a green leather tunic with brown pants and a white shirt. Of course, the most striking feature of this man was the maroon eyes he had, which seemed to bore into Polly’s soul as she stared into them.

“Oh, hello Mister Finch,” Mint said politely as the man nodded, before looking at Polly.

“New in town?” he then said, and as Polly nodded he continued to introduce himself, “Steel Finch, the town mage and counselor.”

“Nice to meet you, Mister Finch,” Polly then said a little nervously as she held out her hand for the man to shake. As he did so, the white-haired girl couldn’t help but feel uneasy as there seemed to be something incredibly off about the man. Maybe it was the eyes, or maybe it was the fact he seemed to have a scar encircling his entire neck, but whatever it was, Polly couldn’t help but feel like this man was possibly dangerous.

“Listen,” Steel then said, “If you ever need help while you’re in town, feel free to swing by my tower, I can give you advice, be it normal things on how to cope with your situation, or relationship advice.”

“Oh, um… thank you,” Polly then said quietly as Steel then went on his business, and once he was out of hearing range, finally spoke again to Mint. “Is… he always that creepy?”

“A little bit, but he’s a good man,” Mint said, “I’ve gone to him whenever I needed advice, and he always seems to know exactly what to say.”

“Well, I guess I’ll take your word for it,” Polly then said, “But if Dyna Lad were here, he’d probably think Mr. Finch is a villain.”

“Who’s Dyna Lad?” Mint then asked, causing Polly to pout a little as she answered the shapeshifter.

“He’s my ex-boyfriend,” Polly said, “Have you heard of superheroes?”

“From father, yes,” Mint said, “I assume that Dyna Lad is one of them?”

“Yes, but he always put me before anyone else, and it got annoying when others were in danger and he was too focused on me.”

“Sounds like he really loved you, why did you break it off with him?”

“Because he nearly let my best friend drown,” Polly said angrily, “Would you have done the same in my shoes?”

“I don’t know yet, I’ve not met your ex,” Mint said plainly, “But maybe he had a reason for the incident.”

“Maybe, but I honestly don’t want to hear it right now,” Polly said, “Though I guess the bright side to me being in another world means that he’s not here, so I can at least try to think things through, right?”

“Indeed, maybe time apart is for the best ” Mint said with a smile, and so resumed the tour of Thornsborough with Polly.

~0~

Dyna Lad groaned as he opened his eyes, only to find himself in a cavern. He felt weak and last he recalled, he was at the beach in Shoresville, where Polly had broken up with him. Then he remembered Kite Sid sending her somewhere, and the redheaded hero became worried. What if Polly was in danger at this very moment? There was no telling where he was now, and what was more, he realized he felt a little weak. 

That was strange, he’d only felt weak when exposed to Dynatite, a mineral that had a form of radiation that only affected him, his father Dynamo, and his grandfather Mr. Dynamic. However, he didn’t see the glowing blue mineral around him, nor did he see any when he used his x-ray vision to look into the walls. 

As his vision adjusted to the darkness, Dyna Lad soon saw that there were a series of stone columns in front of him, which looked like something had punched their way through. Perhaps another super? He wasn’t sure.

“Just what is this place?” he wondered to himself as he walked through the cavern and entered a tunnel with a light up ahead. Thinking it was a way out, he followed it, his thoughts filled with worry about Polly, what if she needed his help? Would she even accept it after she broke up with him? Would she take him back if he rescued her again? 

No, he needed to focus on the current situation. He had to go down the tunnel and find an exit, as he wasn’t even sure if the cavern was stable enough to handle him punching his way out completely. Not to mention he didn’t know how much strength he could muster in this mysterious cave he found himself in. He needed to play it safe, just like his father taught him. After all, if he just went around punching things at random, it could collapse the cave and kill him in his weakened state.

He soon neared the source of the light and found himself in front of a shining white crystal the size of a large statue. In fact, it reminded him of the crystal formation just outside of the Justice Battalion’s home base in Scrap City. Beyond this formation of crystal, however, was not a building, but piles of gold, gems, armor, and weapons all meticulously organized around what looked like giant crystals covering the bones of some sort of giant creature. 

“No, this is impossible.” Dyna Lad said to himself as he remembered the stories his mother had read to him when he was little. “There… there’s no way I’m in a dragon’s lair, right?”

Before he could reason with himself further, the crystals containing the bones started to glow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, in this chapter, we have our two leads meet and introduce themselves to each other, meet Mint's father Koichi, and learn that Mint's father and Eileen are from Polly's world, which means that this isn't the first time Fanterra's interacted with people from Earth.
> 
> Also, it seems Mint's mom has a secret- eh, probably nothing too important, right?
> 
> Oh, and we get to see Sue and Rosa again, as well as meet another friend of Mint's- Robin Blue Sky and her father, who is a clockwork golem, as well as the Mysterious and awesomely named Steel Finch, who may end up playing a bigger role soon enough in the story....
> 
> Finally, we learn where Dyna Lad ended up. So, he's most likely in deep trouble right now....


	4. Troy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A day in Troy Dunnin's life after his best friend disappeared.

Troy Dunnin sat in his father’s lab staring at the giant computer before him as he typed away at the keyboard. He was trying to find information on Kite Sid, the man who had sent his friend and Dyna Lad to another world. His results so far had been rather surprising, to say the least.

For starters, it seemed that Kite Sid had been around for a long time- since World War II, and not because the name was passed on to other people, as far as Troy could tell, this was the same man. What’s more, it seemed that Kite worked alongside one of the greatest heroes of all time, The Dragoon, and also first appeared the same day that hero had. In fact, if Kite was really a Golden Age hero, then why didn’t Troy recognize him? Was he that obscure? Couldn’t be if he worked with The Dragoon. In fact, according to the data, it seemed that Kite Sid had destroyed a few concentration camps during the war, though how seemed unknown even today.

“This just doesn’t make sense,” Troy then said as he continued his research, while his father worked on a new invention on the other side of the lab. His father had taken the idea of going good to irritate Dynamo rather seriously and had been at work the past few days working on new inventions to stop crime, from a bubble launcher that immobilized criminals without hurting them to hover boots to enable flight, to even a handheld fan that could be used to blow away poisonous gas and crooks. 

The Anachronism, real name Bill Dunnin, then looked up at his son in concern, the mask he wore protecting his face and eyes from stray sparks created by the blow torch he held in his hand. Setting the tool down on the table, he then walked over to his son and placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Son, it’s been a few days, don’t you think you’re starting to obsess a bit?” he said, while Troy merely sighed and turned to look at his father, watching as the man removed his mask to show the brown hair and brown eyes he had beneath it. While Troy had his mother’s green eyes he had inherited his father’s looks- tall and lanky. Sure, Troy also dyed in a blue streak into his hair, but that was more of a personal thing.

“Dad,” said Troy, “I’m just trying to get as much information as I can, didn’t you always say that a lack of information was a villain’s worst enemy?”

“Yes I did, but I’m a hero now,” said Bill, “And while I still think information is important, what’s more important is your mental health, I mean honestly, you’re starting to put together a conspiracy wall in your room.”

“Dad, Kite Sid may not be what he seems to be, hell, after learning he’s from the same time as Mr. Dynamic, I’m not sure he’s even human.” As Troy pointed to the information on the giant screen, The Anachronism looked over his son’s shoulder and hummed a bit in interest.

“I’ve seen some strange things in my time- aliens, time warps even been caught in a time loop a few times, but I’ll be frank with you son,” The Anachronism then said as he crossed his arms, “This looks like something you may need to ask your mother about.”

“Why do you say that?” Troy then said in surprise, before his father pointed at the name Kite Sid.

“The name may be derived from Cait Sidhe, a type of fairy cat according to your mother. Though, they normally look like a large black cat with a white mark on the breast,” he said while Troy looked at Kite’s picture on the screen, the man sticking his tongue out and making a beckoning gesture with his hand.

“He doesn’t match the theme very well,” Troy then said flatly, “He looks more like a tabby than a black cat.”

“You know, your mother said the exact same thing while we were dating and encountered Kite one time?” his father then said, “Anyway, I need to get back to work, as fun as it is to have things build themselves, there’s a certain personal touch to making a suit of power armor yourself.”

“Have fun, Dad,” Troy then said as he went back to work, only to be answered by a terrifying laugh as his father put his black mask back on and picked the blowtorch back up. While his dad worked, however, Troy thought about what he had said about calling his mother. It was a good idea since she was knowledgeable about magic. So, he decided to get to work, typing a few commands into the computer and contacting the Justice Battalion Headquarters. 

As he waited for the call to get through, Troy thought about the Justice Battalion, and how it was founded near the end of World War II with the original members of The Dragoon, Mr. Dynamic, his own mother Lady Wonder, The Streak, and The Pierrot. Together, they had fought to protect the world from the Axis Powers. Though the Streak and The Dragoon died in battle, the rest of the group honored their memory by holding a memorial day in their honor. Of course, while they never found The Streak’s body, The Dragoon’s remains were frozen cryogenically by Mr. Dynamic.

Suddenly, Troy was met with the face of Dynamo, the red-haired and blue-eyed father of Dyna Lad. As he looked at the hero in blue and gold, Troy also noticed that Dynamo looked irritated.

_“Troy,”_ Dynamo said coldly, which was understandable since his own son was missing, _“Unless you have important business, I’d advise you not to call the Justice Battalion.”_

“I just want to talk to my mum about Kite Sid,” Troy then said, getting straight to the point, “I’m doing my best to look into a way of getting Polly and Dyna Lad back home safely, and I’m sure mum would be willing to help if she could.”

_“Hold on,”_ Dynamo then said bitterly as he stepped away from the monitor on his end and went off-screen. As Troy waited, he thought about his mother Lady Wonder, how she was a Golden Age heroine and supposedly the daughter of a Welsh deity and a beam of sunlight, which made her immortal. Of course, as far as Troy knew, he was a normal kid, but his mother did seem excited about something now that he was sixteen. Why that was, he didn’t know, but whatever the case, he was sure it was probably important. 

Then he saw a woman with blonde hair and green eyes come on screen, the masked heroine smiling at her son as she adjusted the bun in her hair before smoothing out any wrinkles in the green and white bodysuit she wore nowadays. 

“Hi, Mum,” Troy said with a smile while the woman on screen nodded, causing his father to stop what he was doing and wave at the screen from the other side of the lab.

_“Hello Troy,”_ she said, her Welsh accent lightly affecting her speech as she continued, _“Dynamo’s told me what’s going on. So, you’re looking into Kite Sid?”_

“Yeah,” Troy said, “You encountered him back in World War II, didn’t you?”

_“Aye, that I did,”_ said Lady Wonder before she looked at her son in thought, “I _t was during a raid that the Battalion was doing on one of those concentration camps, when we arrived, well, we were surprised to see that the place was in ruins and the prisoners running for their lives. When we had a chance to question them, we learned that an angel leading a dragon had destroyed the camp, while a man with striped hair helped lead the prisoners to escape during the chaos. Well, I saw the man in question, Kite Sid and when I asked him why he did it, he told me that the camps reminded him of something back home, something he had fought against. I don’t know all the details, but when I learned that The Dragoon knew Kite, I was honestly shocked._

_“I didn’t know what to expect, but when I asked him what was so awful that Kite Sid would attack one of those horrid camps without a plan, Ridley promised he’d tell me after an upcoming battle.”_ Lady Wonder finished her story, her voice choking up as she recalled her late friend.

“The Dragoon died that time, didn’t he?” Troy asked quietly and earned a nod from his mother. It still hurt her, it seemed to think about the loss of someone she considered to be more than just a friend. Troy said nothing more than that, not wanting to upset his mother further than he already had. Still, he had to know as much as he could about Kite Sid, and if there was any way to capture the cat. Still, he wanted to know more, if it was possible. “Did you ever see Kite again after that?”

_“Yes, the day that Dragoon died,”_ Lady Wonder then said with a frown, _“Kite had been the one to find the body, and before we could do anything, he swiped the source of Ridley’s power, an old bracelet he wore.”_

“Why did he do that?”

_ “I wish I knew, but he did say something before he left.” _

“What did he say?”

_ “That he was taking the bracelet someplace where it could be safe, away from anyone who’d try to use it for evil. A place where only Ridley’s blood could go and activate its power once more. That it was his duty as Ridley’s godfather to do so.” _

“Ridley’s blood? Do you know if the Dragoon had a family?”

_ “Not that I know of, why?” _

“Because Kite mentioned being a Faerie Godfather before he sent Polly to that other world I told you about- the one I’ve been watching through a crystal ball he gave me.”

_“A faerie?”_ said Lady Wonder in surprise, _“You should be careful around the Fair Folk, Troy. While they may have good intentions, they’re also troublemakers. If Kite Sid is a faerie like he claims, then you best have some form of iron on you, if you intend to confront him.”_

“Why iron?” Troy then asked, noting how serious his mother sounded about the Fair Folk.

_ “It’s their weakness, they can’t stand cold iron, though the iron in blood won’t work I’m afraid.” _

“Why not?”

_ “Well, would you be stupid enough to cut yourself and try to smear your blood on a faerie?” _

“No,” Troy said, “ At least, I’m hoping I’m not.”

_“Good,”_ said Lady Wonder, _“I love you too much to lose you to something like that, you’d be killed before getting the blood on them anyway, they view getting covered in someone’s blood to be an insult, after all.”_

“I see,” Troy then said with a nod as he mentally filed the information away, “So, what’s the word on Dyna Lad’s Council hearing? I know dad filed a complaint.”

_“The Council is still deliberating on it,”_ Lady Wonder then said with a sigh, _“I’m disappointed in Dyna Lad for failing to save you, while his father is furious at his son, but until he returns from… wherever he and Polly ended up, things are on hold.”_

“If a hearing does happen, any idea who might be overseeing it?” Troy then asked.

_“Not me, I can tell for sure,”_ Lady Wonder then said, _“However, The Tactician himself is showing interest in this, and he might try and oversee the potential hearing.”_

“Th-The Tactician?” Troy then said, and as his mother nodded, gulped as he thought about the world’s oldest and most mysterious figure in hero history- not quite a villain and not quite a hero, The Tactician was thought to be the first super to show up. Able to predict every move an opponent might make, a genius in his own right and only one man had been able to keep The Tactician on his toes- a normal detective named Frank “Eagle Eye” Archer.

However, to think that Dyna Lad was going to get a visit from The Tactician over an accident made Troy wonder just what was going on. However, he knew better than to ask, just in case The Tactician’s game turned to him next. 

Troy was drawn out of his thoughts by an alarm sounding on his mother’s end of the call, causing her to sigh as she prepared to go to work.

_“Well, it looks like The Puma is causing havoc again,”_ she said, _“I’ll have to go.”_

“Stay safe mum, I love you.” Troy said with a small smile, “Be sure to give him hell.”

_“I love you too, son.”_ Lady Wonder then said with a small smile before the screen went dark. Troy then sighed and headed over to a work table and took the crystal ball out of his pocket. As he watched Polly hard at work sweeping up a shop while wearing a pale pink dress, he smiled for a moment before he looked at the spare parts on the table, and started getting to work on a personal project.

~0~

The next day, Troy headed out into Swing Town on his hovercycle from his father’s lair at the edge of town. Then again, not many people were willing to go into the ominous looking spaceship parked right outside of town, but to Troy, the ship was his home while he stayed with his father. While it was definitely different than staying in an old farmhouse in Wales, Troy honestly could admit that he enjoyed the change of scenery. It was always amusing to see what his dad would come up with while working in the ship’s lab, and Troy had discovered a knack for inventing things himself, such as an extendable hydraulic staff, a taser-watch that was solar-powered, and finally, he worked with his dad on the blue hovercycle he rode.

As he stopped at an intersection though, Troy was listening to some Chinese Pop on his mp3 player and was even mouthing along to the words when trouble reared its ugly head. As he was punched off his cycle, Troy looked up to see a gorilla of a teenager looking down at him.

This was Eric Hertz, and true to his name he packed a punch. His father was also the Sherrif in Swing Town, and though Sheriff Hertz was a fair man, his son Eric was a bully. Ever since Troy had moved to Swing Town to live with his father, Eric had been tormenting him alongside his two minions Billy Gaines and Jimmy Frost. They would usually just beat him up until Troy used a miniature forcefield generator against them, and so they moved on to trying to psychologically destroy the one the three labeled as “A Futuristic Outsider.” Sure, Troy didn’t like to dress as though it was the 1950s like everyone else in town, instead favoring a hoodie and jeans to stand out or the occasional bomber jacket over a t-shirt during colder weather. He just wasn’t that into the style of the town. 

Thankfully, there was no actual law against dressing differently, and he personally enjoyed standing out in style a bit, especially with his hair which Troy tended to spike up a bit and color in a streak every month.

As Troy got up off the ground though, he glared at the black-haired Eric and moved to get back to his bike without a word, only to instead be kicked in the side by the blond-haired Billy and knocked right back down to the ground. Then, Jimmy kicked him away from the bike, laughing like a buffoon as Eric signaled the minions to be quiet before he himself spoke.

“Well, well, if it isn’t the menace,” Eric said haughtily as he referred to the fact that he knew Troy’s family included The Anachronism. “Off to cause trouble like your old man?”

“Haven’t you been paying attention, Eric?” Troy said with a groan, “My dad’s going hero.”

“Yeah, right,” Eric then said, before picking Troy up off the ground, “The Anachronism, a hero? After all, he’d done? Please, he’d go back to being a villain the first chance he gets! After all, he finally got rid of Dyna Lad!”

“That was someone else,” Troy said, only to be punched in the stomach by Eric.

“Shut up, Menace!” Eric said, “It’s thanks to you that Polly got corrupted and broke up with Dyna Lad!”

“What are you talking about?” Troy said, legitimately confused, only to see Eric blush and punch Troy again.

“None of your business!” Eric shouted before throwing Troy to the ground and stomping on his chest. 

Instead of pain, however, Troy realized he felt nothing as Eric looked on in confusion and stepped away, allowing Troy to get up and notice he wasn’t in pain anymore. Looking down, Troy also noticed he was hovering an inch off the ground. 

“What is this?” Troy said in confusion, while Eric and his two minions looked on in horror. Troy felt stronger than before, and as he hovered towards the three bullies, he saw them start to back away.

“Y-You’re more of a freak than I thought!” Eric said as he tried to back away, only for Troy to punch the other teen in the face. Eric was sprawled on the sidewalk, Billy and Jimmy looking nervous as they prepared to fight back, only to have second thoughts when they saw Troy’s hands begin to crackle with energy. Still, the two stuck to their guns just as a cheerful Chinese pop song started playing on the hovercycle’s radio. 

As Troy adjusted his helmet he then blocked a punch from Billy and delivered a kick to Jimmy’s chest to knock him down. Then, as Jimmy was getting back up, Troy then raised an arm to counter a punch to his side, only for a blast of light to come from his fist and hit Billy in the stomach. Surprised, Troy didn’t even notice Jimmy getting back up until the black-haired teen kicked Troy in the back, knocking the empowered teen to the ground.

“Not so tough now, are ya?” Jimmy then said, laughing like an idiot as Troy got up and blasted the boy to the ground. With all three bullies on the ground, Troy then stood up and spoke, his Welsh accent coming out in full force.

“Get lost, ya twpsyns!” he called out, using his mother’s favorite insult as he watched the three cowards run off in fear of the superpowered teen. Once they were gone, however, he got back on his bike and was about to go on his way when he heard a voice behind him.

“Golly, Troy, for a fream, I never thought you’d be the type to give out a knuckle sandwich!” said a girl with her blonde hair in a ponytail. She wore a red, dotted cotton dress with white gloves and bobby socks with black and white shoes. Like Polly and every other girl in Swing Town, this girl looked like she stepped out of a fashion history book, and as Troy let out a groan, he clearly recognized her as well.

“Hi Kate,” he said with a sigh as he prepared to get going, only for the blonde to put her hand on his shoulder to stop him.

“Oh come on now Troy, it’s not nice if you ignore the mayor’s daughter!” Kate said with a pout, “Besides, I just wanted to see how you’re doing since Polly was taken away with Dyna Lad.”

“She’s not dead,” Troy said bluntly, “Besides, everyone knows you have a thing for Dyna Lad, so why are you bothering me?”

“Because I want to be your friend?” Kate said, before moving a little closer to Troy, “Besides, you’re cute too, Troy. I don’t know why I haven’t noticed it before.”

“Er… I gotta go,” Troy said uncomfortably, and soon sped off on his hovercycle, leaving Kate Wilson alone on the sidewalk. While Troy rode along the street, however, he pressed a button on his helmet and activated his helmet’s hidden communicator to contact his father.

_ “Hello? What’s going on Troy?” _

“Hey, Dad, just got out of a fight with Eric and his goons.”

_ “Are you alright?” _

“Yeah, I’m fine. Though I had I run-in with Kate Wilson after my powers kicked in.”

_ “Your powers activated? You didn’t blow up anything, did you?” _

“No, Dad, I didn’t blow anything up, I think I just have super strength, flight, and energy blasts like mum does.” 

_ “I see, well, I’ll have the training room set up for when you get back to the ship,”  _ The Anachronism then said calmly, before adding,  _ “Anything else?” _

“Dad, how do I let a girl know I’m not interested in her?”

There was silence for a moment before Troy’s father finally spoke again.

_ “Son, some women can’t take a hint, and I know from personal experience that they will do whatever it takes to get with you unless you are very blunt with them. In my case, admitting I was married to your mother… nearly got me killed, but then again, I hope your mother and I raised you to avoid getting involved with people who are unhinged.” _

“Didn’t you once resurrect an ankylosaur?” 

_ “That was totally different! I was simply trying to test the Resurrector for the sake of science! I didn’t even know that she would set off the Justice Battalion’s sensor array by exploring the city!” _

“Well, at least we got Daisy out of that incident.”

_ “Indeed. Now then, I’m off to feed Daisy before I get back to repairing the Resurrector, I’ve been commissioned for a job by the Justice Battalion that requires it.” _

“Okay, Dad, have fun,” Troy said, before ending the call. While he was curious about what this job was, he also knew that it was better not to ask, especially when it came to his father’s antics. Whether it was turning the whole town into rubber just before an earthquake hit, robbing a bank with a sound gun, hacking into major businesses, or even just performing mad science in his ship’s lab, The Anachronism seemed to have a method to his madness, and always was able to slip away after being arrested by the police the few times he’d been caught after a defeat at the hands of Dynamo or Dyna Lad. Though, now that his father was going to be a hero (even if it was for a short time in the end), Troy couldn’t help but wonder what sort of antics The Anachronism would get up to for the side of good.

A little later, Troy would reach the home of his best friend, Polly Andrews. The past few days had been rough on her family, with his friend in another world and everything. Polly’s mother and father were clearly worried about their little girl, while her older brother Fred withdrew into his room more often than anything. While Troy wished he could do more than just show her family how she was doing in that other world of Fanterra, he also knew that being there for them in this rough time was the right thing to do. In fact, as he got off his bike, pulled out a small package from the secret compartment and walked up the driveway to the pale blue, two-story building, he realized that despite his son being missing as well, Dynamo hadn’t even bothered coming to check up on Polly’s family.

As Troy reached into the pocket of his jeans, he clenched a fist as he wondered just whether or not Dynamo even really cared that Dyna Lad was missing in action.

Before he could ponder further, the front door opened to reveal Fred Andrews, wearing a black shirt under a white sweater vest with khaki pants and loafers. Fred’s red hair was slicked back and combed neatly while his brown eyes looked at Troy in surprise.

“Oh Troy, I didn’t think you’d be coming today,” he said, while Troy awkwardly looked around the manicured front lawn before settling his gaze on the gardenias next to the door.

“Well, yeah, I uh… figured I would see how you guys are doing, that’s all.” Troy said, remembering how he had shown the crystal ball the first night he got back from Shoresville with the bad news. 

“Well, mom’s worried sick, and dad’s trying his best to console her while Polly’s in that other world,” Fred said, “As for myself, I’ve been busy painting, trying to take my mind off of worrying about my sister as best as I can.”

“I see,” Troy said, unsure what else to say at the moment.

“Oh! Um, how rude of me, would you like to come in?” Fred then said after an awkward silence between the two teens, before stepping out of the way to let Troy into the house. 

The living room was large, with a gray carpet on the floor, a leather armchair, and a couch in front of the television set while bookshelves lined the walls. There were lamps scattered about the room and a pair of ceiling fans spun lazily overhead. To Troy, it was homey as he looked around and saw Mrs. Andrews step into the room. The woman was wearing a green dress while her long brown hair was held back by a white headband. She had gray eyes as Polly did, and as Troy noticed, she had been crying before he had entered.

“Oh hello Troy,” Mrs. Andrews then said, the slender woman giving her best attempt at a smile under the circumstances, “Kurt is out at work I’m afraid, so you may have to show us how Polly is doing without him… he’ll be home late tonight.”

“I don’t mind,” Troy said as he pulled out an egg-shaped device and opened it to retrieve the crystal ball he stashed inside, while thankful it didn’t get broken during the fight. As he set it down on the table though, his eye started to throb, causing Mrs. Andrews to flinch as she noticed the black eye starting to develop. 

“Oh hold still, dear, I’ll get you something for that eye,” she said before racing into the next room before coming back with a bag of frozen peas a few seconds later. “Honestly, Troy, you should try and stay out of trouble with that Hertz boy!”

“I know,” Troy said as he held the peas over his eye, giving a sigh in relief as the cold reduced the pain he felt, “but the guy hates me for what I am, always has, probably always will.”

“Still,” said Mrs. Andrews, “The Sheriff’s son shouldn’t be such a bully! Just because your father is who he is, doesn’t mean you’re anything like him!”

“Thanks,” Troy said as the crystal ball showed Polly wearing a blue dress while she worked out in the garden with the horned boy, Mint Wood. Troy had learned a little about Fanterra from watching the crystal ball, though it was everything Polly had learned, such as how the people with pointed ears and animal tails, the Bestials, were actually human, or about shapeshifters in that world. He also noticed that there were mentions of elves and faeries, and even the fact that the story of Snow White was part of the history for the Kingdom of Miravel, where Thornsborough was located. He had also learned about the mark Polly’s hand now sported, showing a knight’s helmet in black. He wasn’t sure where it had come from, but whatever the case, it was probably important in the long run.

“So,” Fred then said, getting Troy’s attention, “Has that Mint guy done anything uncouth with my sister?”

“Nah,” Troy said, “As far as I can tell, he’s a genuine gentleman.”

“Has there been any sign of Dyna Lad?” Mrs. Andrews then asked, only for Troy to shake his head no, before he pulled out the package he had brought along.

“I made you guys something, for in case I can’t visit.” he said as he unwrapped the package, before revealing a green device with a screen and three buttons labeled “On,” “Off,” and “Record.” As Fred and Mrs. Andrews moved closer, they were soon surprised to see that what was in the crystal ball was also showing on the screen.

“You made a receiver?” Fred asked as Troy nodded his head.

“Yeah, I figured that the crystal ball Kite Sid gave me had to be receiving the interdimensional feed somehow, so I used Dad’s ship to track down the frequency and built a second receiver.” Troy said with a smile as he also pulled out a charger, “It can also be charged with a solar charger so it’s eco-friendly, or you can just use a phone charger for a Cramsong Nebula phone.”

“Thank you, Troy,” Mrs. Andrews said as she took the device and cradled it gently in her hands, “Though, you’ll still visit, right?”

“Yeah,” Troy said with a smile, “Polly’s my friend, and well, she wouldn’t like it if I just abandoned her family while she’s gone… it just wouldn’t be right.”

  
“You’re a good friend,” Mrs. Andrews said before setting the receiver down on the coffee table and hugged Troy, the lanky teen hugging her back as he watched the crystal ball show Polly and Mint enter a dark forest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, here we check in on how Troy is doing while both Polly and Dyna Lad are in Fanterra. As well as learn a bit about Kite Sid and Troy's parents.
> 
> So, since I don't think I'll be able to talk about them in the story proper, I'm just going to say what's what.
> 
> Lady Wonder is meant to be a Welsh version of Wonder Woman with added light powers. She's also a Golden Age heroine, meaning that she's been around since at least WWII when Supers were first recorded in this Earth's history.
> 
> The Justice Battalion is also this Earth's first and oldest superhero team, and as stated in story, was founded near the end of WWII by a bunch of superheroes with a common enemy that's stuck around with different members over the decades, with Lady Wonder being the constant throughout the ages.
> 
> and since Lady Wonder is basically a Welsh deity, I think, Troy's pretty much a demi-god in his own right.
> 
> We also meet Dyna Lad's father Dynamo in the story, and he's... not in the best of moods right now due to his son being missing, but as I said before, all may not be as it seems in The House of Dyna...
> 
> Finally, for those wondering what a Fream is, it's 50s slang for an outsider or a person who doesn't quite fit in, which is what Troy is to the kids of Swingtown.
> 
> Oh yeah! We also meet Polly's family, well, most of them since her dad is at work- just her mom and her older brother... who I just realized might be viewed as an alternate Fred Weasley or something since they share a first name. Luckily, I do not plan to kill off Fred Andrews.


	5. In the Hall of the Mountain King

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Polly learns more about Mint and his family, and also gets a surprise when she visits Silvas.

It had been a few days since Polly had arrived in Fanterra, and while she was at least a little familiar with the town, she also felt apprehensive about the mark on her right hand that looked like a knight’s helmet. She knew full well that it hadn’t been there before, though when she talked to Mint and his family about it, all she learned from them was that they didn’t know what the mark meant. Of course, the matter of the knight’s mark on her hand would be saved for her meeting with Silvas that day, with Mint insisting that the old dragon knew quite a lot about the world and how it works, due to having been around for over a millennium.

As she scrubbed the floor of the backroom and lab to Carmen’s shop and home, Polly let her thoughts wander to her ex-boyfriend, wondering if he was doing alright after she had broken up with him. Sure, Dyna Lad was a good guy, but he had a tendency to be overprotective of her. She wasn’t sure if it was because he was a superhero and she herself was a civilian, or if he had some other reason he hadn’t shared with her. Then again, he tended to keep a lot of secrets from her, such as who he really was, what he did when he was out of costume, or even what his family was like. As she thought about it, she realized that she didn’t really know anything about him besides his superhero persona and his powers. They never really talked, or hung out or even had a simple date outside of her needing to be rescued from supervillains.

Polly personally hated their set up when it came to dealing with supervillains, with the villains having to set up an appointment to kidnap her just because so many villains targeted her due to being Dyna Lad’s girlfriend! Sure, not all of the villains were that bad, as she found out as some villains like the Anachronism let her have a chance to do her homework during the school year, while others seemed to take the role too seriously, to the point that she had to keep from letting them get near her at all! In fact, once when she was fourteen, a teenage supervillain known as Blackguard had captured Polly on her way to school, with the intent of sacrificing her to some demon. While she was honestly frightened of the situation, she somehow managed to distract the villain by pretending to show interest in his beliefs. In the end, while she waited out her capture by talking with Blackguard and getting him to spill all he knew about the demon he served, she ended up learning quite a bit and even helped stop Blackguard by hitting him on the head with a fire extinguisher while Dyna Lad was actually on the ropes during the fight.

Even though she showed courage during that moment, Dyna Lad instead told her off for getting involved in the fight, leading to their first argument for their relationship. Polly had told him that if it wasn’t for her, he’d probably be dead thanks to Blackguard’s powers, but her ex-boyfriend had told her that ‘Civilians didn’t get involved in Hero Business.’

When she told her great-grandmother Mary about that incident, however, the old woman simply smiled and told Polly about how the Dragoon would have appreciated the help, and recounted to the girl how she had actually helped him with a fight by using an oar to knock out a Nazi Spy that had the hero at gunpoint before he could armor up. Polly was awed by the story, surprised that her great-grandmother had known the Dragoon personally, and was even made privy to a secret of Mary’s before her death the following year.

Polly smiled as she recalled the secret, having chosen to keep it to herself instead of telling anyone in the superhero or supervillain community about it. Not even the Anachronism knew about it, and she considered him a friend in a way.

“You know, the floor isn’t going to scrub itself if you start daydreaming,” she then heard Mint say, drawing her back to reality as she looked up and saw the floor halfway clean and the shapeshifter standing at the foot of the stairs. He was wearing a pale green shirt under a black vest with yellow accents, with a pair of brown pants and his usual short, well-worn leather boots.

“Oh! Sorry,” Polly said in embarrassment, before getting back to work, “I was just… thinking about some things, that’s all.”

“It’s alright,” Mint said with a smile, before he grew stiff, coarse hairs on the palm of his hand, and dipped that hand in the soapy water to help Polly finish cleaning the floor. “What were you thinking about?”

“Oh, just about my ex,” Polly said as she scrubbed the wooden floor beneath her, “And that time I saved his life and he was a jerk about it…”

“That sounds rather ungrateful of him,” Mint said as he looked down at the floor, “Why did he do that?”

“Because he believes that ‘civilians’ like me shouldn’t get involved in superhero battles… even though if I didn’t, he’d have been killed!”

“I wonder if that’s what he truly believes?” Mint said, “I’m not taking his side of course, but my father told me that how people are raised, can affect their views of the world.”   
  


“Who knows?” Polly said with a sigh, “All I know is that Dyna Lad worries about my safety, but wouldn’t let me help him when he needed it. Then again, I don’t really know much about his personal life.”

“How long were you two a couple?” Mint then asked.

“Two years,” Polly said, before looking up to see Mint give her a surprised look.

“That long, and he never talked to you about his own life? That is... Awfully suspicious, I would think.”

“I know,” Polly said with a sigh, before getting back to work, “Also… sorry for not being able to get you a gift today.”

“It’s fine,” Mint said, “Becoming your friend has so far been a very nice birthday gift!”

“G-Golly, you really think so?” Polly then said, blushing a bit as she scrubbed a little harder.

“Well, of course!” Mint said with a smile, “You seem to be a nice girl, Polly, and I find you to be very interesting to speak with as well!”

“I-I see,” Polly said and fell silent for the rest of the time she cleaned the floor with Mint. 

Later, when their chores were done for the day, Mint and Polly headed out onto the path behind the shapeshifter’s home. Mint had promised that she would meet his thrice-great grandfather that day, but before they climbed the mountain to his lair, the shapeshifter had told her that he wanted to show her something else first. As Polly followed after her friend, she wondered what that something was, before they reached a crossroads- the left fork heading into a dark forest while the right led to a mountain path. 

“Turn left here,” Mint said, indicating the forest path, “And be sure to stay close, it can be easy to get lost in there if you’re not careful.”

“Alright,” Polly said as she followed after Mint, grabbing his hand in her own so she wouldn’t lose track of him. He seemed to freeze for a moment before he relaxed and smiled at her, and the pair walked into the forest. 

“So,” Mint said after a moment, “Father has told me about the world he came from, and the heroes in it, but… I’m curious to know if it’s the same for you. Do you think we can talk a little about the heroes of your world?”

“I don’t see why not,” Polly said as she walked with Mint, “What all did your father tell you?”

“Well, he told me about his favorite hero, The Guardsman, and how he could use his mighty shield to stop evildoers in their tracks!” Mint said excitedly, “One time, according to Father, the Guardsman had even saved his life alongside my uncle, from a fire in To-kee-yo when they were younger.”

“I think that incident was before I was born,” Polly said, “To be honest, no one’s seen any sign of the Guardsman in about a couple of years.”

“Do you think something might have happened?” Mint said in worry, “I was hoping that, if I ever ended up in your world, I might have a chance to meet him.”

“The last anyone saw of him, he was fighting a supervillain called Blackguard, after he defeated the guy, the Guardsman just… stopped showing up, and no one really knows why.”

“I see,” Mint said, “This Blackguard, do you know anything about him?”

“Yes,” Polly said with a groan, “He kidnapped me once, intending to sacrifice me to some demon named Ashtar. He thought I had the blood of a dragon that he needed to complete the ritual, for some reason, and he actually gave Dyna Lad some trouble during their battle… until I knocked him out with a fire extinguisher.”

“A bucket of water?” Mint asked, only for Polly to laugh and shake her head.

“No, it’s a heavy metal object filled with a chemical that can put out fires, not water but something cold I think. I can’t remember the actual chemical compound it uses though.” Polly said, “But in any case, when I smacked Blackguard on the head, he went down pretty easily.”

“But I assume that was when Dyna Lad was ungrateful?” Mint said as Polly nodded in agreement.

“Yes, that’s right,” she said with a sigh, “I saved his life because I loved him even though I was scared at the time, but he didn’t seem to like that.”

“You were quite courageous, and clever to do what you did to stop Blackguard, from what I can tell,” Mint said, “Though anyone who doesn’t see an act of Love for what it is, is among the biggest fools in history.”

“I guess,” Polly said, before looking around the forest and saw that they were surrounded by glowing mushrooms and flowers that seemed strange to her. Some were blue with purple spots, others were tiger-striped, and still, others were heart-shaped or resembled normal flowers but seemed off in ways she couldn’t quite put her finger on. Not to mention that there were a few trees around them that seemed to have faces, and one was even blooming with flowers! Polly was taken by surprise as she continued walking through the area with Mint, and as she looked at the shapeshifter, he seemed to be familiar with this strange forest, as he didn’t even flinch at the strangeness around them. “Where are we now?”

Mint paused and looked down at Polly, before humming as he looked up at the canopy above them and spoke as Polly watched strange creatures that looked like winged fusions between goats and squirrels hop among the branches. “This is my family’s Galapaga, it’s a very special place to Shapeshifters, and it’s rare that we allow guests to visit.”

“Why is it special?” Polly asked as the pair continued walking again, only for Mint to give a sad smile as he remained silent as if he wasn’t sure how exactly to explain it to her.

Eventually, the two teenagers entered a clearing with various flower patches leading up to a tree that looked like it had a carving of a woman on the trunk. Though, as Polly moved closer to it, she saw that the patches of flowers were all shaped like the outlines of people. As for the tree in the center of the area, it seemed the woman on the thick trunk could step out of it at any moment, not to mention seemed so life-like that Polly half expected the tree woman to open her eyes and speak.

Instead, a very muscular man came out from behind the tree, his face obscured by a hood as he spoke to the young shapeshifter beside her.

“Hello, Mint, and happy birthday,” the stranger said as Mint let go of Polly’s hand and nodded towards the man.

“Greetings, John, and thank you,” Mint said with a small smile before John looked towards Polly and hummed.

“I see you brought a guest,” John said, while Mint walked towards the tree and kneeled before it.

“Yes, her name is Polly, and she’s my new friend, I figured she might enjoy seeing the Galapaga before we speak with Grandfather about a way for her to return home,” Mint said, causing John to flinch, before the muscular man nodded and walked to Polly, taking her aside between two patches of blue and yellow flowers and speaking to her while Mint seemed to give a prayer.

“Do you realize what sort of place a Galapaga is, Miss Polly?” John whispered, only for the girl to shake her head.

“All Mint said was that this place was special to shapeshifters, but didn’t say why that was.”

John was silent for a moment, before sighing as he asked another question. “You’ve noticed perhaps, the strangeness of the forest, such as the trees with faces, or the person-sized flower patches?”

“Yes, as well as the squirrel-goats in the trees,” Polly said, “I take it that it’s related to why this place is special?”

“Yes,” John said, “See… a Galapaga is where a shapeshifter is eventually able to become one with the land upon their life’s end. When that day comes, they turn into Primordia and seep into the ground to become a new type of flower or tree, or even a new kind of animal if their remains are touched by a creature.”

“So… this place is a graveyard?” Polly asked, earning a nod from John. “Then, that means that everything here is a part of Mint’s family…”

“That is correct,” John said, “The tree that Mint is kneeling before, is what remains of his great-great-grandmother, Sylvia Wood. For over the past century, her tree has been the center of the Galapaga, though sadly, she died here before she could reach her mother’s resting place. I myself have tried to find the pond where Sapphire Wood rests, but sadly, only Silvas knows where that is.”

“I see,” Polly said, not sure what to think as she looked around her. Though the area was beautiful in its own way, the realization of what this place was to Mint and how he’d eventually be resting here for good was rather morbid. Still, she remained silent as she decided to kneel next to Mint and offer her own respects to his family, surprising the young shapeshifter for a moment before he smiled and returned to his silent prayer. 

Once they were done, the two then stood up and Mint finally spoke as he shifted out a pair of leathery wings on his back.

“Polly, I… I hope that you enjoyed visiting the Galapaga,” he said as he helped her up.

“Well, it’s certainly beautiful, for a graveyard,” Polly said, “Thank you for letting me visit, Mint.”

“You’re welcome,” Mint said with a small smile, before picking up the white-haired girl in his arms, “We better head to Grandfather’s lair now, he must have been a little lonely these past few days.”

“Right,” Polly said with a nod and held on tight as Mint then took off into the air. Neither said a word during the flight, with Polly hanging on to Mint for dear life as she tried not to look down. Despite having flown with Dyna Lad a few times in the past, she still hated being in the air, in case she fell due to him losing his grip. As she closed her eyes and frowned though, she buried her face into Mint’s neck, at least until she felt they had stopped moving. When she opened them, she saw that they were on the top of a sheer cliff, down below a large briar of black and red thorns. She didn’t know how far up they were, but as she looked away from the edge of the cliff, Mint stepped away from the edge of the cliff and spoke.

“You’re not fond of heights, are you?” he asked with concern, only for Polly to silently shake her head as he set her down on the solid ground beneath them. Though, as Polly looked around them, she saw that there was only a rock face in front of them, and really no way down except for jumping off the cliff and onto the thorns below.

“So, um, we are really high up…” Polly said nervously once she found her voice again.

“Not that high, only about forty feet,” Mint said, “In fact, the briar below was where I found you a few days ago, fast asleep.”

“Really?” Polly said in surprise, “I’d think I’d know if I was sleeping in a patch of thorns.”

“That’s what Slumberthorn does,” Mint said politely, “It puts the victim in a deep sleep until the thorns are removed from that person’s body. As a result, it’s been useful in performing surgeries as an anesthetic, and also seems to preserve the bodies in a form of stasis, so that can be used for transporting the dead as well.”

“Er… exactly what is the longest amount of time that someone’s been asleep thanks to those thorns?” Polly asked, feeling a little uneasy about the talk of moving dead bodies. 

“Asleep? About two hundred years,” Mint said as if it was common knowledge, “Though there may be some briars out there with someone who’s been sleeping much longer, but so far we haven’t had a chance to send anyone into them to make sure. There’s been talk about using constructs, but Golemian tinkers are debating with scientists and mages from Spherean about whether it’s ethical to use constructs for experiments.”

“I see, I think,” Polly said, before she decided to change the subject, “So… um, how are we going to get into your grandfather’s lair? I don’t exactly see an entrance.”

Mint stared at her for a moment, before letting out a groan and slapping his forehead. “I’m sorry, I forgot that only blood relatives of Grandfather can see the entrance! I feel like such an idiot for this.”

“It’s ok!” Polly said, “I’m sure something like this happens to everyone!”

“Right,” Mint said with an embarrassed smile before he started walking towards the rock wall. However, as Polly watched her friend had no intention of stopping, she was about to call out to him to be careful, only to gawk as he walked through the wall like it was nothing. After a minute, Mint then stuck his head out of the wall, a look of confusion on his face.

“Are you coming?” he asked, only for Polly to nod and run towards him, closing her eyes as she passed through the wall. As a result, she ended up crashing right into Mint, sending him to the ground with her landing on top of him. As she opened her eyes and looked into his stunned face, Polly blushed and quickly got off of him, before helping him off of the rocky floor beneath them.

“Sorry,” she said before looking around the mouth of the cave, which was lined with glowing white crystals that started to glow with life. 

“I-It’s alright,” Mint said as he blushed a bit, before he changed the subject, “A-Anyway, Grandfather should be just down the tunnel up ahead, we should get going.”

“Right,” Polly said and started walking a little further into the cave before she noticed a carving over the entrance of the tunnel. It was in English, surprisingly enough, and looked like it was scratched in by a large claw of some kind, but still legible. “ _ All who enter, bear no secrets _ ? What could that mean?”

“It’s something Grandfather came up with. In the rare event that strangers visit his lair, they need to tell him a secret if they wish to leave with advice or their lives.” Mint said with a nervous laugh, “He tends to collect those secrets he hears in a journal later.”

“I see,” Polly said as she walked down the tunnel behind Mint, the crystals in the walls lighting their way, “What happens if someone comes to see Silvas without a secret?”

“I’m not sure,” Mint said with a shrug, “Everyone has a secret, don’t they?”

Polly said nothing at that, and instead simply followed Mint down the crystal lit tunnel.

A little later, Polly found herself in a large cavern surrounded by treasure. Piles of gold, baskets of gems that were organized by color and type, armor that was painstakingly taken care of were on stands and even weapons displayed on various racks on the walls of the cavern. As Polly walked, she also noticed that there was also a lot of jewelry and other trinkets, though she did stop to admire a black bracelet that looked like a coiled dragon that was displayed on a pillow. However, there was something oddly familiar about it, but she couldn’t think of where she’d seen it before, even as Mint grabbed her attention by speaking.

“Polly,” he said as he touched her shoulder, drawing her out of her thoughts, “It wouldn’t do to get lost while we’re in the family treasure hall, so please, stay close.”

“Oh! Right!” Polly said as she resumed walking with Mint, before something he said clicked in her mind, “Golly, all this belongs to your family?”

“Yes it does,” Mint said, “But, Mother doesn’t like flaunting our wealth, and I’m set to inherit this when I inherit the shop in a few years.”

“I see,” Polly said, “I guess not flaunting your wealth is a good thing since some people back home like to do just that.”

“Why though?” Mint said, “Isn’t it better to save it instead of flaunting it?”

“Not sure,” Polly said with a shrug, “I just don’t really understand the rich and famous, I’m just a blue-collar girl.”

“That’s… common folk, right?” Mint asked, earning a nod from Polly, “I see, I heard Father use that term to describe himself once, he says he prefers it over being wealthy though he doesn’t go into why.”

“To each their own, I guess,” Polly said with a shrug as she and Mint took a turn at a large pile of silver coins. Though, to her surprise, on the other side was a large stone sphere sitting in front of a pile of gigantic rough diamonds that seemed to take the form of a sleeping dragon. Of course, as Polly watched Mint walk closer to the pile of gems to place his hand on them, she watched as the diamonds suddenly moved and began to glow a bright blue. Then, the gems started to become clearer and sharper as if they were being magically cut and polished into the shape of a mighty winged dragon. Polly honestly then took a step back in fear of the beast, especially once the monster’s skeleton started to glow within the crystal shell.

Silvas, Polly soon realized, was both majestic and terrifying to behold. She found herself frozen in place by the sight of the mighty dragon, and briefly wondered if all dragons in Fanterra were made of crystal, or if Mint’s thrice-great-grandfather was special in some way. 

“Happy Birthday, Mint, I see you brought a guest,” Silvas then said, surprising Polly as to her, he sounded like he had a Scottish accent.

“Yes, Grandfather,” Mint said with a bow, “This is Polly Andrews, from Father’s World of Heroes. I was hoping you’d give her a chance to find a way home through you?”

“I see,” Silvas then said before looking towards the stone sphere as someone yawned before speaking up, “and it seems she’s not the only one from that world here if the boy here is any proof to that.”

“Boy?” both Mint and Polly said before looking at the sphere, or rather cage as they saw a red-headed boy in a blue and gold costume open his blue eyes in the light of the glowing dragon before eating a sandwich on a plate inside the cage.

“Dyna Lad!” Polly then shouted, causing the boy to flinch and drop his food before he stood up straight and looked at Polly in surprise. Then, he ran to the bars of the cage and held onto them, as if trying and failing to break the stone apart.

“Polly! You’re safe!” Dyna Lad said in relief, though before he could say any more, Polly spoke up in anger.

“I can’t believe you followed me here!” Polly said, only for the superhero to roll his eyes and speak.

“I was worried you’d been brainwashed and tricked into a trap!” he said, while Mint simply stood in confusion while his grandfather merely growled in annoyance.

_“Brainwashed!?”_ Polly said, “Do you really not trust me to make my own decisions?”

“Th-That’s not what I meant!” Dyna Lad said, “I’ve been stuck in here for days, worried about you and now that I see you here, can’t you believe that I wanted to save you from trouble?”

“It looks like you’re the one that needs saving this time, Dyna Lad,” Polly said dryly, “I’d do it, but ‘civilians don’t get involved in hero business,’ remember?”

“Okay, I’m sorry I said that, but-” Dyna Lad said, only for Polly to interrupt him.

“No, you aren’t! You don’t apologize for anything and mean it!” she said, “Not once have you meant your apologies to me, when it was saving your life, you berated me, when I wanted to help, you put me down! Well not anymore! I’m _happy_ I broke up with you, Dyna Lad, and you should have at least respected my decision instead of following me!”

“WILL YOU TWO SHUT UP!?” Silvas then yelled, cutting off any retort that Dyna Lad may have had, and as all eyes were on the dragon, they remembered their situation as the dragon continued in a softer tone of voice. “Relationship issues aside, I’ll be happy to help you two get home, however… if you want to leave, you’ll both have to tell me a secret, are you willing to do that, in exchange for getting home?”

“Yes,” Polly said, while Dyna Lad shouted his own answer.

“NO!” he screamed, “I’m not telling anyone my secret, no matter what!”

“We have to, Dyna Lad,” Polly said plainly, “Would you rather be stuck here? I’m sure your family would worry about you.”

“My family knows the risks!” Dyna Lad said adamantly, “It’s part of the job!”

“Fine!” Polly said, “I’ll go first since my family is actually important to me, Dyna Lad!”

“And what, Miss Andrews, is your secret?” Silvas asked Polly, while Mint had arrived with a large book, a quill and a bottle of ink, having apparently gone to get them during the argument. As he opened the book to a blank page, Polly looked to Dyna Lad with an angry look in her eye as she told her biggest secret.

“Back in my world, my great-grandmother, Nana Mary, told me that she used to date the hero known as the Dragoon, also known as Ridley Dragonson,” she said, causing the glowing blue eyes of Silvas to widen at the name, “My secret that she told me before her death, is that my grandfather is Ridley’s son, making me, his great-granddaughter.”

“What,” Dyna Lad said in disbelief, “My grandpa knew Ridley, there’s no way that The Dragoon had fathered a bastard!”

“Don’t worry boy, there’s a test to see if she’s telling the truth,” Silvas said, causing Mint to look on in surprise, “Ridley was of Fanterra, and his godfather brought his bracelet to my lair when Ridley’s father, Danti’lefthel refused to take it. If the girl is telling the truth, then the bracelet's hidden magic will activate, and she’ll be able to claim her blood right as a Dragoon.”

“And if she isn’t?” Dyna Lad then asked while Polly remained silent in fear of her future.

“That’s my secret,” Silvas said menacingly, while Mint looked worried for his friend.

“What do I need to do?” Polly then asked, the white-haired girl feeling a bit of courage in her chest, though from where she didn’t know.

“Just… try on the bracelet,” Silvas said as he silently caused the pedestal that Polly had seen earlier to magically move across the stone floor without a sound until it was right in front of her. “And say ‘Armor on.’ Though be warned, lass, if it works, then there’s no going back on your claim to Ridley’s Bloodline.”

Polly looked around at the gathered trio- first at Mint, who looked on in concern as he finished writing the secret she had shared down. She was worried about Mint too, not wanting to lose a friend if her Nana’s secret was a lie after all. Then, she looked to Dyna Lad, who looked at her in surprise before he spoke in worry.

“Don’t do it, Polly,” he said, “If what you’re saying is true, I don’t want you in the hero's life… it’s dangerous for a civilian like you!” Polly merely glared at Dyna Lad, before she determinedly looked at Silvas, who was expectant of her decision but said nothing. 

She took the bracelet off the pedestal that was in front of her, and slipped it on her right arm. Then, she took a deep breath and spoke.

_ “Armor On!” _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, in this chapter, we not only learn a bit about Polly and Dyna Lad's past relationship but we also learn more about Mint and the Galapaga before we finally meet Silvas the Dragon.
> 
> In regards to the relationship, there was a severe lack of communication between them, at least on Dyna Lad's part. As well as the fact that well, Dyna Lad didn't seem to trust her with anything. 
> 
> We also learn about how things were set up for Polly being Dyna Lad's girlfriend- with supervillains actually setting up appointments to try and use her as bait for her boyfriend and how the one villain who didn't follow the system that was set up ended up getting defeated by her and a fire extinguisher- which probably REALLY hurt Dyna Lad's ego now that I think about it.
> 
> As for the Galapaga, yes, it's a graveyard- a pretty graveyard, but still a graveyard. And John is the guy in charge of taking care of the place.
> 
> Finally, we meet Silvas and get to see the titular Dragoon's Bracelet. And yes, Silvas sounds Scottish mainly because I imagined Peter Capaldi's voice for the dragon while writing him. Don't know why that's just how things turned out.
> 
> As for the bracelet, Well, we'll see what it does next chapter...


	6. The Dragoon's Bracelet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A legacy is claimed at long last.

As the magic words left Polly’s mouth, at first, nothing happened. The girl became nervous as she didn’t even feel anything different, and worried what Silvas would do to her. 

Then, something happened. The bracelet she now wore flashed with a white light, which soon engulfed Polly as she felt a warmth flow through her body. She felt herself rise off the ground, followed by ethereal dragons coming out of the bracelet and wrapping themselves around her arms and legs to form gauntlets and sabatons. Then, came the breastplate and an armored skirt followed by pauldrons on her shoulders and finally, a helmet. Polly didn’t even feel like she was wearing any armor as the light faded and she looked at the black, draconic armor she now wore. As far as she could tell, the material was lightweight, and if the stories about The Dragoon were true, then the armor she now wore could withstand even the force of a tank fired at point-blank range!

“Congratulations, Lass, you’re now a Dragoon! The first one in a very long time, in fact,” Silvas then said, catching Polly’s attention as she, Mint and Dyna Lad then looked at the mighty dragon, “With that armor, you now have the abilities of a dragon- flight, fire breath, magic, and even be able to partner with a dragon.”

“No way…” Dyna Lad then said before Polly could ask any questions, “There… There’s no way that Polly can be The Dragoon’s descendant! This… this has to be a trick! I mean, the bracelet disappeared seventy-five years ago! His legacy is… is too great for someone as innocent as Polly!”

“Boy,” Silvas then growled, “There hasn’t been a Dragoon in two-hundred-and-fifty years. When Ridley Dragonson’s bracelet came into my possession seventy-five years ago, I swore I’d guard it until the rightful owner, one who carries _Ridley’s blood,_ came to claim it. And guess what, lad? Miss Andrews has that blood in her, so _obviously,_ she’s the Dragoon’s descendant. Besides, since she chose to try on the bracelet and become a dragoon herself, she can’t take back the choice once it’s been made.”

“What do you mean!?” Polly then said, starting to panic as to what this meant for her and her Nana’s stories, “And what do you mean by “a” Dragoon? Does that mean that there’s more than one?’

“A long time ago, yes,” Silvas said with a nod, “As for what I mean, say _‘armor off’,_ and try and remove the bracelet”

“Alright, Armor off,” Polly then said, and in another flash of light, the armor had returned to the bracelet. However, when she tried to take the bracelet off, she discovered that it held fast and wouldn’t even slide off.

“So, it’s true…” Dyna Lad then said in horror, “Like my Grandpa, Mr. Dynamic said, the Dragoon’s Bracelet is impossible to remove…”

As the red-headed hero slumped against the wall of his cage, Silvas merely stared at the stone structure before moving his head closer to Dyna Lad and spoke. 

“Lad, if you want to help calm her down,” he said while indicating to the panicking Polly while Mint left his post by the book to help calm her by gently telling her that everything was going to be alright, “All you have to do is tell me a secret.”

“Fine…” Dyna Lad then said in defeat, “My secret is my real name…”

He mumbled, causing the dragon to slightly shrink the cage with a gesture of his claw before Silvas spoke again. “What was that, lad? I couldn’t quite hear you, I suggest you speak louder.”

“I said my real name is Crandall Barry!” Dyna Lad shouted, causing Polly to freeze and turn towards him in anger.

_“Crandall!?_ You mean to tell me, that this whole time we were dating, you were that nerdy kid that kept hitting on me!?” Polly then said as she stomped over to the cage as Silvas merely waved his claw to dismiss it while a sly grin appeared on the dragon’s face.

“Uh… yes?” Dyna Lad said nervously, while the unarmored girl slapped the boy _“Ow!_ That hurt!”

Both teens then paused as they realized what had just happened, Dyna Lad, the invulnerable teen, hurt by a simple slap? As Polly looked at her hand in confusion, Dyna Lad quickly tried to use his powers to fly, only for nothing to happen.

“My… My powers are gone!” He said in shock, while Polly merely glared at the teen.

“Good!” she said, “Maybe you’ll understand what it means to be human for once! I mean seriously Crandall, what sort of sick game were you playing by flirting with me when I didn’t know your secret identity!?”

“Okay, I’ll admit that was dumb of me to do so but at the time I thought you’d come to like my secret identity by the time I did tell you?” Crandall then said nervously only for Polly to snap at him once again.

“That was a scummy thing for you to do!” Polly then said, “And if I knew ahead of time, then maybe we wouldn’t be having this conversation at all!”

“Conversation!?” Dyna Lad shot back, “This is you yelling at me while I’m trying to apologize!”

As the two started arguing once again, Mint tried to step in and mediate, only to be stopped by Silvas. As the shapeshifter looked up at the dragon, he saw a look of warning in his eyes and sighed.

“I had thought she’d have a clear head by now,” Mint said sadly, “I never even realized her temper could be as fierce as Mother’s…” 

“I wouldn’t go that far,” Silvas said before changing the subject as he quietly talked to Mint, “So, what all have you gotten for your birthday?”

“Well, I got a magical journal from mother, so I can keep in contact with her and the rest of the family while I’m on my adventure,” Mint began and counted off his gifts on his fingers, “Eileen gave me some healing potions to use, and mother tested them so according to her they work quite well. Godmother Irene gave me a magic cloak to keep me warm in the winter and cool in the summer, and father gave me a sword!”

“What about your other godmother?” Silvas asked, causing Mint to give a chuckle.

“Aunt Anastasia is late again, I’m afraid,” Mint then said, before reaching for the sword on his hip, “Would you like to appraise the sword I got from father?”

“Of course,” Silvas said, and the dragon watched as Mint drew the beautiful white blade from his side and presented it to the dragon. Silvas gently took the sword in his claw and examined it, before his eyes widened in surprise. “Well I’ll be damned again, your father managed to give you one of the swords used by Puck’s Rebellion!”

“Is it a magic sword?” Mint asked in surprise, only for the old dragon to shake his head.

“No, it’s just an ordinary Mithril blade, pretty common for foot soldiers to use in battle against the monsters we faced at the time.”

“I see,” Mint said a little dejectedly, “What sort of monsters did you have to face, that required Mithril weapons?”

“I hope you never find out,” Silvas said sadly, an answer he always gave Mint when it came to what the Blue Faerie Empire had used against the Rebellion. Mint had tried to ask in the past of course, but each time he was stopped by his thrice-great grandfather on account of bad memories that he didn’t want Mint to have to face. As today was the boy’s birthday however, Mint decided not to ruin the happy mood with more questions and instead decided to change the subject.

“Do you think father has finally outdone you in giving me gifts?” Mint then asked, “I know that since he returned to Fanterra, he’s had a rivalry with you when it came to my birthday.”

“Hah! As if he could outdo me with a sword!” Silvas then said, before opening up a secret chamber with a wave of his claw. As Mint and also Polly and Crandall watched the chamber open up and the glowing crystals inside come to life, the three teens soon saw what looked like a horse. However as the steed came out of the chamber, they saw that the creature was made of metal with large black hooves with brass accents, thick red legs, an orange tail, a knobby mane, and a white head and neck on a black torso. It seemed large and powerful, though there was also a beauty to it as well.

Mint squealed in delight as he ran over to hug the mechanical horse before hopping on its back and grabbing the ears. Turning one to the right, the horse then took off from the ground and did a lap around the cavern before twisting the other ear to land near Polly and Crandall. Of course, as the mechanical creature bowed its head in greeting, Mint spoke as he hopped off and hugged the dragon.

“I love him!” Mint said, deciding that the horse was a stallion, “Where did you get him, Grandfather?”

“Oh, I had some spare parts lying around,” Silvas said, “And a few clockwork horses intact, but I felt a horse that was all your own would be better.”

“Thank you!” Mint said as he went back to the horse to do a better examination, “Hmm… the hooves seem to be from a Meteor model, while the legs… perhaps an Ocean Cookie? I know that the tail and mane are from a Sunfire, while the torso looks like a repainted Thoroughbuilt. Not sure where the head is from though, but I’m sure I’ll find out with a bit of research… but it looks like a Scherezadian model going by how the ear controls worked for flight.”

“I think it’s lovely!” Polly said, appreciating Mint’s nerdery about mechanical horses.

“I think it looks like Frankenstein’s horse,” Crandall said bitterly, most likely having lost his argument with Polly before they had focused on what Mint and Silvas were doing.

“Frankenstein? Who’s that?” Mint asked in confusion while Silvas raised an eye ridge on his crystal body.

“It’s a monster built by a mad scientist from spare parts provided by dead people,” Crandall then said as he crossed his arms, horrifying Mint.

“Actually, Frankenstein was the scientist’s name, not the monster’s,” Polly said, causing Crandall to groan, “The monster never even had a name, now that I think about it.”

“As if you know anything,” Crandall said in annoyance, only for Polly to glare at him.

“At least I’ve actually read the book!” Polly said, before turning away from the powerless superhero, before turning to Mint, “So, Mint, what will you name your new horse?”

“I think I’ll name him Nightfire,” Mint said with a smile as he patted the mechanical horse’s neck. “He looks like a fire in the night, with his body and hooves.” 

“Ugh, that is _so_ cheesy…” Crandall muttered as he rolled his eyes, while Polly merely giggled.

“I think that’s a good name, Nightfire,” Polly said with a smile, “Do you think we can go on a ride together, Mint?”

“I don’t see why not,” Mint said, “Have you ever ridden a horse before?”

“Once or twice, my uncle owns a ranch, and I’ve gotten to ride the horses before.” Polly said with a smile, “How different is it for riding a mechanical horse?”

“Well, not too different, though for the ones that can fly, you have to know where the controls are for lifting off and landing, in Nightfire’s case it’s the ears, while in some models, it’s the knobby mane. I haven’t tried twisting the mane knobs yet, but I will later.”

“Speaking of later,” Silvas then said as he grabbed everyone’s attention, “Mint, do you have any plans for the Dragon Festival tomorrow evening?”

“Only visiting you in your cavern with mother, father, and Eileen.” Mint said in confusion, “Do you not want us to visit?”

“Actually, I have plans for tomorrow night, and I was hoping you’d be going to the festival with your family,” Silvas said while Mint glanced at him with a skeptical look in his eye.

“Did you talk to Mother about this?”

“Of course I did!” Silvas then said quickly, “If I didn’t, she’d try and kill me!”

“I see,” Mint said, before remembering why he and Polly came to the dragon’s lair, “Oh! Grandfather, remember what I said earlier about helping Polly and I guess Crandall in getting home?”

“Of course I do,” Silvas said, “And I would have been happy to send your friend home- and also get rid of the boy, however, things have changed and I need some time to prepare the gateway.”

“What do you mean, things have changed?” Polly said in confusion, while Crandall glared silently at the dragon.

“I’m talking about your bracelet, lass,” Silvas said, “I can’t let a new dragoon loose in your world if you don’t know what you’re doing, so I need you to perform a task.”

“What sort of task?” Polly asked, looking worried.

“I want you to find a dragon to partner with, and along your journey, learn magic and how best to use your new powers. It will be difficult, and there may be many trials on the way, but if you pass and prove you know what you’re doing, then I’ll let you go home once you bring me the dragon that wishes to partner with you.”

“Why can’t you partner with me, Silvas?” Polly then asked, only for the dragon to let out an annoyed growl.

“First of all, I’m over a millennium and a half in age,” the dragon began, “Second, I’m busy protecting this town, and finally, I’m quite happy living in retirement and I don’t plan on leaving my horde unattended for long periods of time.”

“Okay,” Polly said with a sigh as she relented to the dragon. “Then again, I guess quests aren’t supposed to be easy…”

“Some are,” Silvas said, “You just were given one of the harder ones out there, especially since there are no other dragoons besides you at the moment, to help you on your journey.”

“Do you know where I might be able to start looking for a dragon?” Polly then asked while Crandall clenched his fist in frustration.

“Why are you going along with this?” he then asked, “We have a ticket home, Polly, why can’t you just give up and go home?”

“Because, Crandall,” Polly said, “I want to learn more about the Dragoon, and if I’m going to inherit his mantle, then I might as well know what I’m doing!”

“She has a point,” Mint said then as he stretched his arms a little, “Father tended to say that those who didn’t know what they were doing would do more harm than good, so wouldn’t Polly going through training be a good thing for when she returns to your world?”

Crandall opened his mouth and closed it a few times but try as he might, he could not even think of a response to Mint’s words. Polly however, smiled at the shapeshifter before she turned back towards the crystal dragon.

“So, Silvas, before we were interrupted, what were you going to say about where to start looking?”

“Well, Ridley’s old partner, Danti’lefthel is still alive and in White Mountain, Miravel’s capital city. He may be willing to partner with Ridley’s descendant.”

“Thank you, Silvas,” Polly said before giving a polite curtsy. 

“Not a problem, Lass,” Silvas then said with a nod, before Mint spoke up next.

“Polly, if you’d like, I could go with you as a guide around Fanterra,” he said, while Polly smiled at the shapeshifter once again.

“Thanks, Mint!” she then said, “I’d really like that!”

“I’m going too,” Crandall then said, causing Polly to look at the redhead.

“Why would you want to come with me? Trying to get me back as your girlfriend?” Polly then said, causing Crandall to stammer out a response.

“What? N-No!” he said, “I was, uh, just thinking you might need help learning how to be a superhero, that’s all.”

Polly simply gave Crandall a disbelieving look while Mint looked away from the impending fight, only for the white-haired girl to sigh and cross her arms.

“Fine, you can come, but if you try and get me back as your girlfriend, I reserve the right to use you as a sparring partner.”

“Fair enough!” Crandall said with a smile, sure that if he got his powers back, he’d be fine in a sparring match with Polly. 

With that, the three teens and clockwork horse then headed for the exit, Silvas giving a sigh of relief that he wouldn’t be boarding the redheaded boy any longer. However, as he watched them leave, another thought crossed his mind.

His thrice-great-grandson would be traveling alone with two other teenagers.

_ I may need to hire a chaperone, _ he then thought to himself,  _ While I trust Mint, I don’t exactly trust Crandall or Polly to keep him out of trouble… so, I think I know who to hire in the morning, I just hope he’s willing to leave town for a time… _

It would be irresponsible, after all, to let three teens out in the world on their own, especially when one of them has access to great power that they didn’t know how to really use.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, in this chapter we find out what the Dragoon's Bracelet happens to do- it's armor storage. Which I guess makes Polly a Magical Girl in a way? Well, either way, Polly's a superhero now, as much as Dyna Lad, or rather Crandall Barry doesn't like it. 
> 
> We also get to see what Silvas decided to give Mint for his birthday- a flying clockwork horse, which is a thing in The Arabian Nights, believe it or not, and Mint absolutely loves his new steed. Though, since Nightfire is cobbled together from spare parts, it's not really based on any real-life horse like other models are. Also, the model names Mint listed off, such as Meteor and Oceancookie, would not be out of place for a race in the Kentucky Derby, I think.
> 
> Also, now that Dyna Lad's identity is revealed, I can start referring to him as Crandall in the author's notes! Hooray!
> 
> Finally, we get to start the plot of this story- Well, Polly's side of the plot at least- and that is her mission to partner up with a dragon. Mainly because it'd be rather stupid to let a teen girl with new powers go back home without an idea of what she's doing, right?
> 
> And yes, our three heroes are getting a chaperone to make sure nothing dirty goes on during their journey, I mean, they are 16 after all, and I do not want to get into trouble for underage shenanigans!
> 
> We'll be meeting this chaperone next time, though I will say that the chaperone has been seen before in previous chapters...


	7. The Dragon Festival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The day of the Dragon Festival arrives, and Mint, Polly and Crandall get a couple of surprises during it...

Troy and the Anachronism couldn’t believe what they had seen. Not only was Polly actually related to their world’s greatest hero, The Dragoon, but had inherited his powers to boot. What was stranger though, was how the Dragoon’s Bracelet, the source of the hero’s power, had ended up in the world of Fanterra. All anyone knew was that after The Dragoon died, his bracelet had vanished, never to be found again. Though there were imitators over the years, none of them lasted long under the scrutiny of The Council of Heroics and Villainy, the group that kept order in the hero and villain communities. None of the imitators could get their hands on the legendary bracelet that made The Dragoon so powerful, and no one really knew where it could have gone.

Except for one person, as both Troy and his father realized who they needed to call.

“Symphonia, call my wife!” The Anachronism then said to the ship he called home and waited as the call went through to Lady Wonder’s personal phone.

_ “Yes? What is it, Bill?” _ Lady Wonder said after a few seconds, her image appearing on the screen of the ship’s main computer.

“Sorry, honey, are you in the middle of something?” The Anachronism, Bill, said, “Troy and I have news regarding Polly and Dyna Lad.”

_ “No, I’m just on monitor duty for the Battalion, what’s the news?”  _ Lady Wonder asked, her green eyes looking quite interested behind her domino mask.

“Well, Dyna Lad is in the same world as Polly,” Troy said, “Also, he had to reveal his real name to a giant crystal dragon named Silvas, after Polly um… well, she inherited the Dragoon’s Bracelet.”

_ “What?”  _ Lady Wonder said flatly,  _ “Troy, you’re not lying to me, are you?” _

“No ma’am, I saw it myself in the crystal ball Kite Sid gave me, and dad managed to figure out how to record the visuals to the Symphonia’s data banks last night,” Troy said before typing at the computer to send the data to his mother. After it was sent, Lady Wonder watched in silence as she saw Polly put on the Dragoon’s bracelet and transform into a new Dragoon. When the video was over, she was slack-jawed.

_ “I can’t believe it,” _ Lady Wonder then said, the blonde woman’s eyes having widened in shock,  _ “The Dragoon’s legacy lives on. But how? Last I checked, Ridley didn’t have a family to go back to, so how is it possible that Polly is able to use the bracelet?” _

“Well, it could be possible that his girlfriend Mary had gotten pregnant by him before his death,” Bill then said as he crossed his arms to think, the goggles on his mask warping slightly to show him deep in thought- a little emotive twist he put into making his mask just so people could see what he was feeling, “That would explain what Polly said to the dragon about her being the Dragoon’s great-granddaughter, it could mean that her grandfather was most likely a bastard.”

_ “Yes, that does make sense,” _ Lady Wonder then said with a nod,  _ “Though Troy, do you think you could ask the Andrews family more about it the next time you visit?” _

“Sure thing, Mum,” Troy said, enjoying the mystery he and his family were working on a bit before he heard his father clear his throat.

“Son, don’t you have  _ something else  _ to tell your mother?” Bill said, causing Troy to sigh.

“I got into a fight yesterday…” Troy then said sadly, knowing his mother would start to interrogate him about it.

_ “It wasn’t about your father, was it?” _ Lady Wonder then said with worry, only for Troy to shake his head.

“It was more about me existing than anything else,” Troy said bitterly, “But, my powers kicked in and I was able to drive them off.”

_ “You didn’t blow anything up, did you?” _ Lady Wonder then asked, only for her son to shake his head.

“No I didn’t,” he then said, while his father seemed proud of the fact, “I have super strength, flight, and energy manipulation like you do, Mum.”

_ “I see, that’s good that you were able to drive them off, though we will have to get you registered with the Council now that you have superpowers… are you going to be a hero or a villain?” _

“Hero of course,” Troy said with a smile, “I want to help you and dad protect the town until Polly gets back with Dyna Lad.”

“Have you thought of a name yet?” Bill then said as he took off his mask, “A good hero and villain needs a memorable name that hints at what they can do.”

“I was thinking of a name that combines Mum’s powers and your technical prowess, Dad,” Troy then said, “Though, we should really talk about this later, when Mum’s not on screen and well, actually here.”

_ “I’ll be coming by The Symphonia tomorrow with my things,” _ Lady Wonder then said,  _ “I figured that with your father going hero and you developing your powers, I needed to be there to help out in any way I can.” _

“Thanks, Mum,” Troy said with a grin, “Love you.”

_ “I love both of you too,” _ Lady Wonder said with a smile of her own,  _ “See you both tomorrow, bye.” _

As the call ended, both father and son looked at each other and grinned, clearly excited to see Lady Wonder in their current home. Though they both had different reasons, of course, Troy was excited to be working with his family as a hero in training, while his father was excited just to see his wife in person again.

~0~

In the village of Thornborough, there was a small tower near the entrance of town, with two golden lilies in front alongside a sign that said the following:

_ Steel Finch _

_ Counseling and Wizardry _

_ Inquire Within _

Within this tower was the black-haired and maroon-eyed wizard, Steel Finch and his five pets- Aurelio the lion, Jovi the bear, Steppen the wolf, McCloud the fox and Sinatra the hare. Steel Finch had lived in Thornsborough for some time now, having moved in a couple of years before Carmen Wood had returned to the village from Spherean and had done his best to help the village’s problems. However, he wasn’t well-liked at first, and when Carmen came along he was stupid enough to try and romance her daily.

Suffice to say, that didn’t end well and stopped when she and her then-future husband Koichi worked together to beat him nearly to death. While he did deserve it, he was surprised he was even allowed to stay in town after that, especially when he revealed his closest secret to the town as well as the fact that his pets, except for Sinatra, could talk.

As Steel got out of bed and looked in the mirror, seeing the many scars he had gotten on his chest over the years, his eyes focused on the one that went around his neck as he frowned.

“Dammit, Daniel,” was all he said before he heard a knock at his door. As he was on the second floor of his tower, Steel quickly went to the window and opened it to see a man with white hair and horns on his head, as well as wearing a white, armored robe.

“I’ll be down in a minute,” Steel shouted, and quickly left the window to put a shirt on before heading downstairs to the first floor of his tower. There, his pets were starting to rouse from their slumber, the first being McCloud.

“Ugh… who’s coming by the tower at the crack of dawn?” said the gray fox as he raised his head, only for Steel to speak up and answer his pet.

“Dragon,” was all he said, causing the fox to perk up and gulp audibly.

“Got it,” McCloud then said as Steel opened the door and got a better look at his unexpected guest. 

He was indeed white-haired, his hair going down to his chin, and he had patches of crystalline scales on his face and hands. His armored robe bore the standard of a navy blue dragon on the front, while the man’s horns refracted the morning sunlight like a prism. The man also towered over Steel, who was only about two inches shy of six feet in height himself, and seemed to have something wrapped up under his arm.

“Silvas, I welcome you to my home,” Steel then said as he moved out of the way to let his guest in, while the dragon walked in and glanced at the five animals in the wizard’s home, before shifting something under his arm. Steel, of course, had to be polite to the town’s guardian as he moved to the kitchen to make some tea for Silvas, who sat down on a couch and spoke.

“Steel, I need your help,” he said, causing the wizard to nearly drop a teapot in surprise.

“And what would a dragon want me to help with?” Steel asked as he went back to making tea, only for his guest to snort.

“I know of your powers, wizard, you should know full well what I need your help with,” Silvas said while McCloud and his now awake comrades looked on in silence.

“Humor me,” Steel said as he used magic to brew the tea for his guest, “I may know what you want, but if it involves travel, my pets would like to know where I’m going and why they might not be able to come along.

“Very well,” said Silvas as he looked towards the animals, “I want you to accompany my thrice-great grandson and his two companions on their journey.”

“I take it you want me to go alone?” Steel said as he poured some jasmine tea for his guest, the relaxing smell filling the room as Silvas took a sip.

“Of course,” Silvas said, “I know you like your pets, great hunter, but they’ll draw too much attention if they go along.”

“Fair enough,” Steel said as he sat down in a comfortable looking armchair, “Though, I’m curious why you wanted _me_ to go along, surely you could have hired Maria Cortez? She’s a pretty good huntswoman in my opinion.”

“Aye, I could,” Silvas said, “But Maria has a family to take care of, and you know more about Fanterra than even she does. Besides, with your abilities, you have a better chance of keeping three teenagers alive before they could do something stupid.”

“So you want me to chaperone them,” Steel said flatly, “I take it that Mint and that girl he found, Polly are going, but who’s the third?”

“From what I gather, the third is a boy named Crandall, who has had a romantic history with Polly,” Silvas said, while the lion, fox and wolf all chimed in with their own comments.

“Oh Gods,” McCloud said with a groan.

“Sounds like trouble,” said the blind wolf, Steppen.

“Indeed,” said Aurelio while Jovi the bear looked on in confusion. Sinatra remained silent as she always did.

“If the peanut gallery is through,” Steel then said, causing his pets to fall silent before they could make things unbearable for their guest, “So, you want me to keep an eye on three teenagers on my own, make sure their hormones don’t get in the way of their goal, and then just come home when their quest is done? What makes you think I’ll be going along so easily?”

“I can get you a Silver Arrow model of clockwork horse,” Silvas said, causing Steel to whistle.

“Silver Arrow, huh? Those are pretty rare, and I’m not surprised you have a model intact,” Steel then said, “But what else is in it for me?”

Silvas sighed as he sipped his tea, before taking the bundle he had under his arm and unwrapped it. It was an old, blue leather-bound tome of about 800 pages thick, the cover decorated with golden dragons as well as emeralds, rubies and yellow topaz. There was no title on the cover or on the spine, and as Steel carefully lifted the book to weigh it, hummed a bit in surprise.

“This spellbook is a leftover from the Blue Faerie Empire,” Silvas then said, causing Steel’s eyes to widen in surprise.

“It’s in surprisingly good condition,” Steel said, “How did you get your claws on it?”

“Stole it during a raid back during Puck’s rebellion,” Silvas said fondly, “Salvaged it as a war trophy for myself and I figured it would be rather helpful in fighting the empire. I was right, of course, as it helped get past the defenses of the Blue Hag’s stronghold during the final days of the rebellion.”

“I didn’t think you were that old,” said Steel, only for the dragon to smirk as he leaned back on the couch.

“I know, I look rather good for about 1800, don’t I?” Silvas said dryly, “But I know what sort of magic you’re looking into, Finch, and I think this spellbook might have the spell you’re looking for.”

“I see,” Steel said, while his pets actually looked hopeful at this revelation, “I take it that I don’t get to look until I get back?”

“Correct,” Silvas said as he got up to take back the book and wrap it back up in cloth. “Is my condition a fair one?”

“Yeah, it is.” Steel said with a nod, “If nothing goes wrong, I’ll finally get what I desire. However, if I go… who will take care of my pets?”

“I’ll look after them,” Silvas said, “and I’ll be sure to treat them as my own family as well.”

Steel was stunned by this act of kindness from the dragon. As far as he knew, most dragons were rather cruel and had assumed that Silvas the town guardian was just a rare dragon that didn’t have that much of a cruelty streak in him. To see that he was willing to take care of his best friends though, brought a tear to his eye as he turned away.

“Thank you,” he then said quietly, only for Silvas to raise an eyebrow as the man continued, “I appreciate what you’re doing for me.”

“It’s not a problem,” said Silvas with a smile, “I’m sure it wouldn’t be too hard to take care of your special pets.”

“That’s what you think,” Steel then said, before going to a bookshelf and picking out a rather thick tome, before handing it to Silvas. “Here’s a guide I wrote for taking care of my pets, heed it well.”

“Thanks,” Silvas said flatly and began thumbing through the pages then and there.

~0~

That afternoon, Polly and Mint were showing Crandall around town. When they came back to the shop the night before, Mint’s mother, Carmen at first couldn’t believe that her son had brought home another off-worlder, while his father was more excited that the young shapeshifter had brought home the son of Dynamo. As for Eileen, she merely squeaked and ran into her room when she met Crandall, much to her big brother’s confusion, as normally, she’d challenge any boy who came to the house to a fight. What was even stranger to the young shapeshifter, was that when Mint was polite as he could be to the young superhero, Crandall simply sulked in the corner of their shared room, and also became quite uncomfortable when Mint innocently suggested they share his bed so that neither of them would sleep on the floor.

Mint just couldn’t understand why Crandall was the way he was towards him.

As for Crandall, he took in the sights of Thornsborough with boredom, not really caring for the small town, and just wanted to get back to his world with Polly. What’s more, when he absorbed some of the sunlight of this world, he noticed that it felt different than his world, but how that was he couldn’t quite figure out. Though his powers were returning slowly, and he was at least strong enough to lift up Mint’s bed with only a little trouble. However, when he tried to sneak into Polly’s room during the night, to try and talk to her, he was stopped by Carmen and made to go back to bed.

Mainly due to the fact that Carmen produced curved chainsaws from her arms, and Crandall was not willing to try and face her in his weakened state. Though, when he looked into the woman’s eyes, he couldn’t help but feel she had a history as a killer with how cold her glare was when he got up that morning and had to help clean the shop by hand.

He personally did not like this world and how low tech it was compared to his and Polly’s. Sure, he was thankful at least that they had indoor plumbing, but he also didn’t like Mint. To the young superhero, something just seemed incredibly off about the young shapeshifter, especially with how nice he seemed. Sure, he lent Crandall some of his old clothes to wear while his costume was being washed, but that didn’t help stave off the feeling he got from Mint.

To Crandall, Mint was too nice.

Before he could ponder more about his suspicions, Crandall was drawn out of his thoughts by the sight of a young woman about his age wearing a long-sleeved red dress with a white apron and sturdy looking boots. What really caught Crandall’s attention, however, was the fact that she had pointed ears, yellow eyes, and a black wolf’s tail wagging behind her, matching the black hair she had tied back into a low ponytail. To Crandall, she was a little beautiful, but not as good looking as Polly was in her current outfit of a short-sleeved white shirt and brown pants with some boots. What’s more, to Crandall’s view on things, the wolf-girl seemed quite surprised to see Mint as she spoke to the shapeshifter.

“Oh, Mint!” she said, “I thought you’d be visiting your grandfather today.”

“Grandfather wanted my family and I to attend the Dragon Festival this year,” Mint said before he took on a more concerned expression as he continued, “Though, how are you, Rosa? A few days ago, you were in a lot of pain.”

“Oh, I’m alright!” Rosa said with a smile, “That medicine your mother made helped me quite a bit!”

“I figured, but… maybe you and your parents should go see a doctor in Gem Hill?” Mint said, “I know we have a doctor here in town, but with how often you’re in pain, I think you should go to the city and get a check-up there.”

“I’m fine, Mint, really!” Rosa said with a smile, “You shouldn’t have to worry so much about me… besides, doctors are expensive, and I know Papa and Mama wouldn’t want to spend a lot on medical bills from another doctor.”

“Why not ask your cousin in Ringaia for some extra money?” Mint suggested, “You did mention that he was a lord a few years ago.”

“Oh, Mama couldn’t trouble Cousin Ricky for anything like that!” Rosa said quickly, “He… has a lot of duties to attend to as it is, he shouldn’t be worrying about us out here in Miravel!”

“How do we know you’re not lying?” Crandall then said, only for Polly to chime in.

“Crandall, shush, this is clearly none of our business!”

Rosa then looked at Crandall for seemingly the first time, before she sighed and spoke.

“No, it’s alright, Polly, he must be very new in town to ask that,” she then said, “My cousin Ricky Lupo is the Big Bad Wolf, and his job is to protect the city of Bella Aquae over in Ringaia. While he has to employ some underhanded tactics to ensure that protection, he is still a good man at heart.”

“So why don’t you ask him for money?” Crandall then asked, only for Rosa to look embarrassed.

“As I said, he doesn’t need to worry about us over here in Miravel, he has enough on his plate as it is.” Rosa then said, “According to Mama, The Big Bad Wolf has to protect the capital of Ringaia from those who would harm the Royal Family, but doing it in secret… kind of like a special agent of the crown. They investigate and destroy crimes alongside the city watch, and even investigate and take down corrupt nobility. Mama actually worked as an informant for her uncle, Ares when he was Big Bad Wolf and she and Papa were a team together to gather information. But now, Papa works as a Blacksmith and Mama is a guide for those who want to hunt in the woods, while also being the town Gossip. Sure, we don’t make much, but since Mama said that sending money to another kingdom would risk it getting stolen, there’s not much of a chance we’d get that money anyway since Ringaia is very far away from Thornsborough.”

When Rosa finally finished speaking, Crandall found himself wondering more and more about the Big Bad Wolf. Sure, he was apparently a hero, but the use of family and underhanded tactics reminded him a bit of how some crime families worked back in his and Polly’s world. Still, he said nothing to be polite, more than anything, and simply let Mint take over the conversation for now.

“What if I gave you the money you need to see a doctor?” Mint then said, “My family is related to a dragon, after all, maybe I could convince Grandfather to give what you need for payment!”

“Oh, I couldn’t accept it, Mint!” Rosa then said while Polly smiled at the shapeshifter. “I’ll just do my best to help Papa in the forge, travelers do come through town often going to and coming from Scherezade I’m sure we can save up enough money on our own!”

“If you say so,” Mint said with a concern, while Rosa soon decided to change the subject.

“So, since you’re staying in town and going to the Dragon Festival this year, um… do you want to go with me?” Rosa then asked, causing Mint to blink in surprise, while Crandall noticed the girl blush a bit.

“Actually,” Mint then said, “I was planning to show the festival to Polly and Crandall, though you can join us if you’d like!”

“I’d like that!” Rosa then said with a smile as her tail wagged again, the girl looking much happier than before. Then she skipped off, leaving Mint with a smile on his face as he spoke up again.

“Well, she seemed quite happy to be joining us tonight,” he said while Crandall looked at the much taller shapeshifter in disbelief.

“I’m pretty sure she was trying to go on a date with you,” Crandall said, causing Mint to look at him in confusion.

“I don’t see why she’d do that,” Mint then said as he started walking down the street with Polly and Crandall in tow, “She’s like a sibling to me since we grew up together, I honestly don’t see her as anything else.”

Crandall merely looked at Mint in surprise. How could he not realize that his friend was crushing on him!? Sure, Crandall barely knew the wolf girl, but even he could see that she had more than just familial feelings for Mint!

Maybe during the festival, Mint would finally get that through his thick skull.

~0~

That evening, the shapeshifter and his friends would be waiting outside of his mother’s shop. His family had gone ahead to the festival wearing their best clothes, and Mint himself wore his favorite outfit consisting of brown pants, a pale green shirt under a black vest with yellow accents, and a design on the back of it that vaguely resembled a cat. Polly herself wore her sundress with a shawl around her shoulders, while Crandall wore a pale blue shirt with a yellow waistcoat and brown pants. 

“I don’t see why I can’t wear my costume when Polly gets to wear her sundress,” Crandall then said bitterly, while Polly let out a groan.

“Crandall, you were in a cave for a few days, without a change of clothes! It needed to be cleaned, according to Carmen!”

“O-Oh,” Crandall then said as he recalled his encounter with the shapeshifter the night before, and personally wondered if Mint could pull out those blades as well.

“Something wrong?” Mint then asked, only for the young superhero to flinch and turn his head away.

“No! Nothing,” he said, “Just wondering where Rosa is, that’s all.”

“I assume she still needs to walk from her father’s forge to here,” Mint said quietly, “Not to mention she may not be coming here alone.”

“Why do you say that?” Polly then said before Mint pointed to see Rosa come into view with her father, Sue. From what Polly could see, Rosa was wearing a lovely white dress embroidered with red roses on the bodice and skirt, while the sleeves were long and form-fitting to her surprisingly slightly muscular figure. Then again, as Polly realized, Rosa having muscles from working in her father’s forge did make sense after all. As for her father, he wore a simple white shirt with brown pants, and large boots, the giant of a wolf man looking down at the quartet of teenagers once the pair got closer to them.

“Hello Mr. Cortez,” Mint said, while Crandall looked at the pair in disbelief before the redhead focused on the man’s wicked scar that went from the right side of his jaw, up the cheek, across his nose and then going up through his left eye and stopping well past the forehead. It reminded Crandall of a lightning bolt in a way, though he couldn’t help but ask a question as he looked into the orange eye of Mr. Cortez.

“What happened to your face?” he asked, while the other teens in the group looked at him in shock. Mr. Cortez however, merely growled as he answered the teen.

“A rabid cat did this, back when I was working for the Lupo family,” was all he said, before he looked to the rest of the group, “Mint, I trust that you’ll keep my daughter safe?”

“Yes sir, I’ll do my best,” Mint said as he gave a salute to the giant wolf. As Mr. Cortez then nodded and walked away, Rosa simply sighed once he was out of sight.

“Papa is always worrying about me,” she said with a smile, while Polly decided to speak up.

“That’s a lovely dress you have on,” said the white-haired girl, getting the raven-haired wolf’s attention, “Where did you get it?”

“Oh, this? My cousin Ricky made it and sent it to me on my birthday last month,” Rosa said with a smile, “Where did you get your dress, Polly? I’ve never seen anything like it before.”

“Oh, um… my parents bought it from a shop back home,” Polly said, briefly wondering if this world even had mass-produced textiles. 

“I see,” Rosa then said with a smile, before she grabbed Mint’s hand in her own and started walking, “Come on, let’s get going, I want to make it to the town square before Silvas starts the festival!”

“Why would we need to go to the town square?” Crandall asked in confusion, “And how is the dragon going to start the festival anyway? I don’t think he’d leave his treasure unguarded.”

“You’ll see,” said Mint and Rosa at the same time, both smiling as if they knew a secret that they wouldn’t share with the two offworlders just yet. 

When they reached the center of town, the group saw that everyone was gathered together and looking towards the mountain behind Carmen’s shop, as if waiting for something to happen. There were booths and stalls set up for the festival, those running them waiting for the signal as the sun set and day gave way to night.

Then, a light started to shine from the mountain, a familiar bright blue light as Crandall and Polly watched as Silvas took off from the cliff in front of his lair, and rose up into the sky before making his way towards the village. Then, once he was above Thornsborough, the crystal dragon started to twirl and loop above the village, leaving behind a trail of light as he maneuvered through the sky. To Polly, the sight was incredible as she looked on with the rest of the crowd. She watched as Silvas seemed to have fun in his flight with how he seemingly danced among the stars.

“Crandall, are you seeing this?” she then said as she looked at her ex-boyfriend, only to see him look up in disbelief as he spoke.

“How...how the hell can he fly!?” he said, “I mean, his body’s made of crystal and glowing bones! He shouldn’t even be able to lift off!”

“Maybe he’s using magic?” Polly suggested while Crandall shook his head.

“Right, magic exists here… I highly doubt that…” he said, while Polly simply decided to enjoy the show.

It wasn’t long before the light started to move closer to the town and shrink in size as Silvas landed in front of the teens, now taking on the form of a man with crystal horns and white hair while he wore an armored robe. What’s more, he smiled as he patted what looked like a small cat draped across his shoulders made of crystal, its glowing blue eyes looking at the group as Mint spoke up.

“Oh, you brought Monde, Grandfather?” Mint then said, causing the group to look at the shapeshifter in surprise.

“You know that thing?” Crandall said, having never seen it before in Silvas’ lair.

“Yes, Monde’s an old friend of mine, we used to play together when I was a small boy,” Mint said, “Though Silvas had to put him to sleep for a while, I never really figured out why.”

“That’s not something you should worry about, Mint,” Silvas said while Monde spoke up, his voice sounding like that of a small boy as he looked to Mint.

“Hi, Mint! I barely recognized you,” said the crystalline cat with a swirling tail and a blue gem in its forehead, “You’ve really grown from the shrimp I knew years ago!”

“It’s nice to see you too, Monde,” Mint said with a smile, “Are you part of Grandfather’s surprise for the town?”

“Yeah!” Monde said as he hopped down from his perch and walked on the ground on six legs, before looking at the dragon in human form, “Speaking of, shouldn’t you be making your speech?”

“Yes, yes, let me take a moment to prepare, Monde,” Silvas then said as he picked up the six-legged cat creature and walked to a stage that was set up in the middle of town. Once there, he gained the attention of everyone in town before he spoke up- the dragon’s voice ringing all across the square.

“Now, it’s not often that I come down and join you for the festival,” he began “And it’s not often I bring Monde along as well, but this year, to thank you for all that you’ve given me in these past one hundred and so years, I want to give something back to the town that would be useful for everyone. Back when she was alive, Sapphire would give me all sorts of ideas on how to help the village, but I was simply happy protecting the town and my late wife. She honestly would have wanted this, and so this year, in honor of our one hundred and ninetieth anniversary, I give Thornsborough this.”

Silvas then looked to Monde and whispered something to the creature, who then nodded and closed its glowing eyes to concentrate as the dragon held out a hand and focused. Then, the ground started to rumble as people cleared the town square just as stones started to jut out of the ground, before transforming as if being sculpted quickly by phantom artists. The stones became figures of women surrounded by flowers, seemingly having a silent conversation of some unknown subject as children played around them. Then, water started to flow from the center, creating a fountain and a source of water for the village. The locals cheered while Polly and Crandall looked on in awe of the feat, both unsure exactly how this was even possible. 

Silvas walked off of the stage with a silent bow, and with that, the festival began as the stalls started their business selling food and souvenirs to travelers that were visiting for the festival, while some people played games and enjoyed their time with friends and family. During the festivities, young children began to play with Monde, who was allowed to wander around while Silvas grinned and told stories to those that would listen.

As the quartet of Polly, Crandall, Mint, and Rosa wandered around the festival, they would see Mint’s parents cheer on Eileen as she fought in a small tournament against other teens, the fourteen-year-old girl using martial arts to take out her opponents who were much more used to brawling wildly. As Eileen was now facing off against a large boy a little older than her, Polly became worried for her, only to gasp in amazement when the raven-haired girl managed to throw the brute over her shoulder and dodge as he got up to charge at her. Then, she kicked him in the back and knocked him down once again before jumping out of the way when he got back up to take a swing at her. 

“Come on and fight fairly, you little bitch!” said the boy rather rudely, only to have his head meet Eileen’s boot as she jumped up to kick him. He was knocked out after that, and Eileen was declared the winner of the fight as her father Koichi cheered proudly while Carmen merely crossed her arms and smiled.

“Looks like our daughter’s been taking her training seriously!” Koichi said, before looking at Mint, “Though, I would also expect my son to be pretty well trained as well, heard you took down a Sheboolie the other day with Sue!”

“It was nothing,” Mint said humbly, “I probably couldn’t have done it without Mr. Cortez’s help!”

“What’s a Sheboolie?” Crandall asked in confusion, while Polly who had heard the story decided to answer.

“From what I heard, it’s a one-eyed, one-horned, flying purple people eater,” she said while Crandall merely groaned and decided not to push the subject further. 

After seeing Eileen hold up the belt for the winner, the group continued onward, seeing Robin at a stall showing off her inventions which consisted of tiny clockwork fairies flying around and greeting people, as well as a mechanical bird that sang a tune for anyone that would listen. Not to mention that Mr. Blue Sky was doing a juggling act for the children that passed by with their parents. While Crandall was impressed by the weather robot, when he heard that the mechanical man had found and raised Robin from a small child, the young superhero just couldn’t believe it.

“I mean, how could a machine know how to raise a kid?” Crandall then said after they had left Robin’s stall to continue on in the festival.

“Maybe whoever built Mr. Blue Sky added a heart to him?” Mint suggested, “Stranger things have happened here in Fanterra, I honestly don’t see why you’re questioning everything around here.”

“Maybe because I find this place to be unbelievable?” Crandall said while Polly sighed and ran her fingers through her white, curly hair.

“Crandall, will you just stop trying to analyze everything?” she said then, “Honestly, this is a world different from our own, so it’d make sense that there’d be some things that wouldn’t make sense to us.”

“So what!? You expect me to just roll with the punches on this!?” Crandall said while Rosa looked on in confusion.

“Yes!” Polly said with a groan, “Now, I don’t want to argue anymore, so let’s just try and enjoy ourselves, ok?”

“Fine!” Crandall said in annoyance, before grumbling as the wolf girl sighed and spoke to Mint.

“Do they fight often, Mint?”

“Only ever since I met Crandall,” Mint said with a sigh, “He’s Polly’s ex-boyfriend.”

“Oh,” Rosa said, looking to Polly in sympathy as she realized how awkward it might be around one’s former love.

Next, the group found themselves watching a puppet show about Sapphire Wood, a shapeshifter who through her determination befriended Silvas and convinced him to guard the town she called home. What’s more, she even fell in love with him and he with her as the formerly silvery white dragon gave her an amulet out of love. Then, much to the audience’s surprise, the silvery-white scales popped off the dragon, revealing a clear body beneath it. As the children clapped at the transformation and continued to watch as Silvas protected the town until a festival was founded in his honor, the four teens kept going until they saw people dancing around a bonfire.

“Hey, that looks like fun!” Polly said as she grabbed Mint by the hand, “How about we join them?” 

“I don’t see why not,” Mint said and the two raced to join in the dance, the pair even moving with each other as they settled into a routine. Crandall looked on jealously as he saw Polly enjoying herself, and even tried to cut in to dance with her, only to be turned down.

Then, something none of the teens expected happened, when Rosa moved in close to Mint. While the wolf girl and shapeshifter danced together, Polly watched as Rosa moved in close and kissed Mint on the lips. The Shapeshifter stopped dancing and looked visibly hurt by this as he spoke to her.

“Rosa… why did you do that?” he said, only for the wolf girl to speak up.

“Because, I wanted to show you that I loved you before you left on your adventure!” she said, with tears in her eyes as Mint sighed.

“Rosa, I do love you, but as a sister,” he explained, “Not to mention, I don’t want to do anything that might ruin our friendship.”

Those words struck Rosa quite hard as tears rolled down her cheeks, and before Mint could stop her, she then ran off, much to his surprise. While Crandall ran a hand over his face in annoyance, Polly merely looked to Mint in worry as the young shapeshifter looked on in confusion.

“Rosa?” was all he said, just before a voice behind the three teens caught their attention.

“Well, that could have been handled better,” it said, causing Mint, Polly, and Crandall to jump in surprise before they turned to see a man with black hair, a goatee, and maroon eyes.

“Oh, Mr. Finch!” Mint and Polly said together, while Crandall looked at the man who had appeared out of nowhere and shuddered, the young hero feeling quite uncomfortable around the man of apparently twenty-five.

“So, I see you got a new friend,” Steel then said as he looked to Crandall, unnerving the redhead further as he continued, “Anyway, I got some news for you, and I figured it’d be best to tell you now instead of letting you find out in the morning.”

“What is it?” Mint said, only for Steel to put his hand on the tall boy’s shoulder and smile.

“I’ll be joining you and your two friends on your adventure starting tomorrow, Silvas’ orders.”

“What,” Crandall said flatly, while Polly seemed surprised by this as Mint was. “Why would that dragon send you with us?”

“Well, Steel Finch is an accomplished wizard,” Mint said, “So I assume that Grandfather wanted to make sure we also had a guide while we explored Fanterra and stay out of trouble.”

“Well, that too,” Steel said, “He just didn’t trust three teenagers from staying out of trouble while on the road, so I’m chaperoning you three to make sure everyone makes it through the adventure safely and without any surprises.”

“I see,” Mint said with a sigh, “I wasn’t planning on doing anything impolite to Polly or Crandall while we were on the road.”

“I know you wouldn’t, but the old dragon isn’t so sure about the other two joining you,” Steel explained, “And since I know what it's like outside of town due to my own travels, I can help keep you three from getting into trouble… hopefully.”

“Do you even know what we’re journeying for?” Crandall said while Steel merely looked him in the eye and glared.

“You three are off to find a dragon to partner up with Polly,” Steel said without breaking eye contact, “Also, you are on your way to a bad ending if you don’t stop with the attitude, kid… and I don’t mean losing that bet you made with that cat, Kite Sid.”

“H-How did you know about that!?” Crandall said while Polly looked at the superhero in annoyance.

“The eyes tell all, kid,” Steel said with a smirk before turning around to enjoy the festival further, “Anyway, make sure to get plenty of rest, you’ll need it for tomorrow.”

As Steel left the three teenagers, Polly looked at Crandall directly and spoke.

“Crandall Barry, what did he mean by a bet?”

“Uh… well, before I got transported here, I may have made a wager with Kite Sid on getting you back as my girlfriend, ok?” Crandall said, “I bet that pearl necklace you gave back to me as the prize, so if I lose the bet, I have to hand it over.”

“I can’t believe you’d do that!” Polly said in disgust while Mint looked disapprovingly at Crandall in silence, “I’m not some prize to be won, you know!”

“I know, I… I just wasn’t thinking straight when you broke up with me!” Crandall said only for Polly to frown at him.

“Yeah, right,” she said, before turning around to head back to Mint’s shop, leaving the two boys alone for now.

“I should go after her,” Crandall said, “To try and explain my side of things.”

“I don’t think she’s in the mood to talk just yet,” Mint said, “Maybe wait it out?”

“Right, listen to a shapeshifter… that’s a great idea…” Crandall said, causing Mint to frown at the shorter boy.

“I’ll go check on Polly,” Mint then said, before leaving Crandall all alone at the bonfire, the young superhero not sure what he did wrong this time.

~0~

Meanwhile, at the edge of town, Rosa had finally stopped running and sank to her knees. She wept as her tears fell on the white silk of her dress, her heart broken by Mint’s words. She had personally hoped he had returned her feelings for him, that he loved her as much as she loved him. She didn’t want to be just friends, she honestly wanted to be something more. 

“A lovely girl like you shouldn’t be weeping,” a male voice then said, causing Rosa to look around in surprise, but saw no one nearby in the woods.

“H-Hello?” she said fearfully, only for the voice to speak up again.

“Hello,” the voice said in return, “Tell me, my dear, what troubles you?”

“A boy I’m in love with doesn’t really return my love for him,” Rosa said, unable to stop the truth from coming out, “I can’t help but feel heartbroken.”

“I see,” said the voice, and before Rosa knew it, she felt a comforting pair of arms around her, as her mind started to feel a little fuzzy, “Why don’t we see him suffer a bit for breaking your heart?”

“Make Mint...suffer?” Rosa asked in confusion, while unsure why the suggestion seemed ok to her as the voice continued.

“Indeed, my dear,” the voice said, “I can whisk you away from this town, to someplace where this Mint boy will need to travel to and prove his feelings for you. If he follows after us, then he will love you, but if he doesn’t, then you’ll know where his feelings truly lie…”

“I see…” Rosa said, her mind feeling like it was in a fog, “It’s hard to think…”

“There’s no need to think, my dear,” the voice said, “All I need is your consent and I can test your beloved to see if he is truly worthy of you… all I want you to say is one little word…”

Rosa couldn’t help but listen to the voice, her mind ignoring the alarm bells that went off distantly as she gave her answer.

“Yes.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, in this chapter, Troy and his father talk with Lady Wonder about recent events happening in Fanterra, as well as get a bit more info about Steel Finch, the creepy guy that showed up back when Mint was showing Polly around Thornsborough.
> 
> Turns out, Steel's a smart ass with some talking pets. Though, he does seem to have unusual power, knowing things that no one else does. Wonder how he does that?
> 
> We also see Rosa again, and learn about her financial problems and also her relative, The Big Bad Wolf.
> 
> Basically, the Big Bad Wolf is like a mafia boss combined with a secret agent.
> 
> Also, Crandall is questioning all the things in this chapter, isn't he?
> 
> Finally, while Rosa does confess her feelings to Mint, things do not go as planned, sadly enough. And as the ending shows... things are going to get worse, it seems.


	8. Aunt Anastasia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the Adventure begins, our heroes have an unexpected encounter with a witch...

It was the morning after the Dragon Festival, and Polly awoke in the guest room of Mint’s home with a determined look on her face. Today would be the day she’d leave town and begin her quest to find herself a dragon to partner with, before heading back to her world. Though she had a feeling the journey would be fraught with danger, she also knew that if she didn’t do this, then she would never be able to head home to her world.

Polly then sat up in bed, wearing just a white nightshirt that was big enough to be considered a nightgown and looked down on the bracelet that was coiled around her wrist. As she had discovered the night before, the bracelet would phase through anything with long sleeves, which would allow her to be able to change clothes at least. Still, as she stroked the head of the coiled dragon, she couldn’t help but wonder what her great-grandfather might have gone through while wearing it. She hadn’t truly believed that her great grandmother had been that far in her relationship with The Dragoon, to find out what her Nana Mary had told her was actually true was certainly surprising! Still, as Polly looked at the bracelet she now wore, she wondered if she was really worthy to inherit the legacy of Ridley Dragonson, and what’s more, she wondered how her family would react to learning this as well. Her parents may end up being worried that their daughter became a superhero, while her brother Fred would probably be supportive of her, and do his best to try and help her out when she needed it.

Speaking of her brother, she also wondered if her friend Troy managed to confess his feelings for her brother as well. While she knew that Troy had a crush on Fred, she had chosen to keep that secret until her best friend was ready to talk about it in person. She also wondered how her brother’s paintings were coming along, as he always was a creative boy even when they were kids, and he’d talked about the various fairy tales he’d read.

“I wonder if Fred would like this world…” Polly then said to herself as she got dressed for the day, putting on a blue and white shirt with sleeves that went down to her elbows. Then, she put on a pair of thick leather pants and boots that went up to her knees. As she looked in the mirror, she also put a ribbon in her chin-length, curly white hair so that it wouldn’t get in her way as she traveled in this world, and probably get into a few fights as well. The outfit she wore was suggested by Mint’s mother, Carmen, who she had learned had been on an adventure before with his father Koichi. Though she just wore a dress at the time, she did admit that there were benefits to pants when it came to areas where such clothes would snag easily.

Once fully dressed, Polly then went to the kitchen upstairs, to help Carmen and Eileen with cooking breakfast, and also putting together the supplies needed for the road.

~0~

Meanwhile, Mint had just woken up in his bed, a smile on his face. Today was the day he’d finally leave home and go out into the world. However, as he got dressed in a copy of what he wore to the Dragon Festival the night before, the young shapeshifter couldn’t help but feel like he had ruined his friendship with Rosa at the festival. While he did like her as a friend, to learn that she loved him romantically had unsettled him. While he hoped that his friend made it home alright, he still felt terrible for not going to check on her.

Hopefully, while he was in town today he’d get a chance to talk to her before he left.

Mint was drawn out of his thoughts by Crandall rising from the bedroll Carmen had given to the redhead when he had insisted on not sharing a bed with Mint. Why that was the shapeshifter had yet to figure out. However, as Mint observed Crandall as he grumbled and got dressed in a yellow shirt and black pants that Mint had worn a couple of years ago. At some point in the night though, Crandall had also managed to get his clean costume back and had slept in it, much to Mint’s confusion, though since Crandall was one of the superheroes his father adored, the shapeshifter had decided not to question it out of politeness.

“So, excited for today?” Mint then asked Crandall to start some conversation.

“I guess,” Crandall said, “I mean, at least I won’t be stuck in this town for a while.”

“Well, we are doing this for Polly, so I thought you’d be happy to help her find a dragon!”

“I know, but she’s also going to be a superhero when we get back to our world,” Crandall then said in annoyance, “And since I’m the only one here with experience in that field, it’s up to me to teach her!”

“Well, I know, but she could learn things she could apply in your world here in Fanterra,” Mint said as he slipped on his boots, and frowned at how ragged they were starting to get. 

“Right, like fairy tales could have any value in my world,” Crandall said in annoyance as he adjusted his gloves, “Or at least anything that could be learned from a shapeshifter.”

“Is there something wrong with my being a shapeshifter?” Mint asked in confusion, only for Crandall to leave the room without answering.

Mint was starting to get the feeling that Crandall didn’t like him much, and after hearing how his kind was normally treated in Spherean from his mother, he wondered why that was. As far as he knew, Magic didn’t really exist in his father’s world, so the discrimination against shapeshifters and their inability to use Magic shouldn’t exist. If that was indeed the case, then why did Crandall seem to hate Mint so?

Unable to even think of an answer, Mint simply sighed and readied his pack for travel, putting in the journal he got for his birthday, while also taking it with him so that he could fill it with medicine and other supplies his mother and sister would prepare for the road.

~0~

After breakfast had been eaten and supplies received, the trio of teens headed out into town for what may have been the last time for a long time, intent on trying to get to Steel Finch’s tower so that they could have their guide and chaperone.

“I still don’t see why we’re going with the creepy guy,” Crandall then said, while Polly rolled her eyes.

“Mr. Finch seems really nice, though,” Polly then said, while Mint decided to step in before another argument could take place.

“Grandfather hired Mr. Finch because he’s so well-traveled,” said the shapeshifter, “I can understand that we might need a guide and a chaperone out in the world.”

“A chaperone?” Crandall said, clearly insulted, “It sounds like the dragon doesn’t trust us to behave ourselves.”

Before anyone could respond to that, however, the trio saw Maria Cortez head their way, a worried look on the wolf woman’s face as her tail hung limply behind her. As the trio stopped, even Mint could see that something was wrong, especially as the beautiful woman with golden eyes looked at him specifically and spoke.

“Mint, have you seen Rosa today?” she said, only for Mint to look at her in surprise.

“No, I haven’t, is something wrong?” Mint then said, becoming concerned.

“Rosa never made it home last night,” Maria then said, “I had hoped that she was just staying at your home after the festival, but then this note came in under the door this morning and I started to worry.”

“A note?” Polly said suddenly getting an idea of what happened, mainly due to personal experience as she remembered Blackguard and his attempt to sacrifice her to a demon. She watched as the older woman then pulled a note out of her pants pocket and read it aloud.

“Dear Mr. and Mrs. Cortez, I have your daughter Rosa and am holding her at the Doll Manor, if you wish to have her back, then bring me the head of Mint Wood, if you cannot do this, then you’ll never see her again.”

The three teens were silent at this, with Mint rubbing his neck in worry as he spoke up.

“The kidnapper seems to not realize that his demand is impossible,” he then said while Polly and Crandall then looked at him in confusion.

“Why’s that? Is your neck indestructible or something?” the redhead then said, while Polly shot him a glare.

“Actually, it’s because when a shapeshifter dies, they turn into a slime called Primordia, Sugar,” Maria then said, causing Polly and Crandall to notice she had what sounded like a Southern accent, “And if I were to behead Mint and touch that slime, I’d be causing a whole new species of animal to exist!”

“It’s true,” Mint said sadly, “If I could, I’d gladly give my head to save my friend, especially since I feel like this is my fault in the first place.”

“What do you mean, Sugarhorns?” Maria then said in concern before Mint explained himself.

“Last I saw her, was at the Dragon Festival, and she kissed me and told me she loved me,” Mint said, “I… explained to her that I viewed her as more of a sister than anything else, and she ran off. I had thought she'd headed home, so I didn’t think to go check on her to see if she was alright. Please, forgive me for causing your family trouble, Mrs. Cortez.”

“You’re forgiven, Sugarhorns,” Maria then said with a sigh, “Still, I wish I could go save her with Sue’s help, but ever since he had to retire as an enforcer due to an injury, I’m worried he might get hurt worse if we go to get Rosa!”

“Who’s Sue?” Crandall then asked, only for Mint to sigh and explain.

“Sue is Rosa’s father and the local Blacksmith,” Mint said, before noticing that Crandall was holding back a laugh, “Also, he’s strong enough to easily crush a skull with his bare hands, so I wouldn’t laugh.”

Crandall immediately decided to ask another question.

“So, what’s the Doll Manor?”

“The Doll Manor is a place a few days west from town,” Maria said, “It’s home to Lulia Almandine and her living dolls, and it’s quite the tourist attraction here in Miravel! Why, I went there with Sue and Rosa a few years ago and were treated like royalty by the dolls there, and Rosa herself seemed to have fun playing with the dolls there as well. Oh, just thinking about it makes me worried that whoever kidnapped my little girl might have some awful things in store for her! Please Mint, won’t you go save her?”

“I’ll do whatever I can, to get Rosa back,” Mint said with determination in his voice, while Polly looked a little uneasy.

“Mint, how do we know if this isn’t a trap set for you?” she then said, “I mean, we don’t know who the kidnapper is, or what their motive could be, other than getting rid of you.”

“Polly,” Crandall then said, “If you’re going to be a superhero, then you gotta know that sometimes we may have no choice but to run into traps to save the innocent. It’s part of our job to protect the innocent and bring villains to justice.”

“Alright,” Polly said, knowing that her ex-boyfriend was right this time, “We’ll do our best to help you out, Mint.”

“Thank you,” Mint said with a smile before Maria spoke up again.

“Aw, thank you Sugarhorns!” she said as she hugged the tall young man with a grin on her face, “Well, I better go tell Sue what’s going on, so good luck on your mission y’all! And please, bring my daughter home safely.”

“Don’t worry Mrs. Cortez, we will,” Mint said with a smile and started walking towards the edge of town, only for a voice to speak up behind them, causing all three teens to become startled.

“You weren’t thinking of leaving town without me, were you?” said Steel Finch, now dressed in a white shirt under a green leather tunic with studs around the neck, brown pants and boots. What’s more, he also had a tabard wrapped around his waist that was green and white, as well as a flask tied to his hip. As his maroon eyes looked at the three teens, they all noticed that he had covered the scar around his neck, while in his hand were a set of reins attached to two mechanical horses- one being Nightfire, the handbuilt clockwork horse that Mint received for his birthday, while the other was a silver horse with an arrow design on the forehead and saddle.

“Mint, I thought Nightfire was going to be waiting for us at the edge of town?” Polly then said, recalling the arrangements that Mint had told them the night before.

“Oh, that, I was going to wait for you outside of town,” Steel said, before placing a hand on his flask, “But then I decided to go back to my tower to grab something for the road, and I decided to take the horses with me- Silver Arrow is on loan from your grandfather, if you’re wondering Mint.”

“I see,” Mint said with a nod, “But, how did you get behind us? Your tower is on the other side of town.”

“Eh, I can teleport,” Steel said with a shrug, “Plus, I thought it’d be funny to startle you three before we left. Anyway, what’s going on?”

“Rosa’s been kidnapped,” Polly then said, causing Steel’s eyes to widen in surprise.

“I see, looks like we’re going to have to rescue her then?” the wizard then said, and as the three teens nodded, sighed and took his flask off his hip, opened it, and took a swig from it. “Okay then, let’s get going, the sooner the better, right?”

All three teens nodded and Mint climbed onto his horse and helped Polly onto its back as Steel did the same and offered a hand to Crandall.

“Need a ride, Red?” Steel then said only for Crandall to float above the ground like it was nothing.

“No thanks, I can fly on my own,” he said, and so the group took off from the ground and flew into the sky, the clockwork horses gleaming in the sunlight as Polly rode with Mint and headed west towards the Doll Manor. 

It was odd for Polly, flying through the clouds on a horse instead of in the arms of Dyna Lad. Though she had to admit, the ride was enjoyable so far, and Nightfire ran smoothly despite being cobbled together from parts of other clockwork horses. As Polly leaned against Nightfire’s neck, she found that Mint had grown an extra pair of arms to help keep her steady, while using his other hands to guide the horse as they rode through the sky. She did her best not to look down, however, due to her fear of heights and just focused on the road, or rather sky ahead.

She then decided to look at Crandall, flying next to them as he had always done back in their world- horizontally with his arms out in front of him while his face looked focused. She knew better than to talk to him while he was focusing- not that she wanted to anyway, and so looked ahead again to see that Steel and Silver Arrow were ahead of them, most likely leading the way to their destination. 

“Are you doing alright, Polly?” Mint then asked her, causing her to flinch a bit and nod.

“Yeah, I’m fine, thanks to Mint,” Polly then said with a smile, though she couldn’t really turn to look at the young shapeshifter.

Minutes passed without a problem as the group flew through the sky, intent on reaching the Doll Manor as soon as possible, however, it wasn’t long until Polly spotted something headed towards them, and to her, it looked just like a witch on a broomstick flanked on either side by a blonde boy with the wings of a dragon- one red the other blue.

“Who’s that?” Polly then said in surprise, and noticed the witch stop and point towards the ground. Mint didn’t answer and instead started descending, holding Polly tightly so she wouldn’t fall off the horse. Mint was followed by Steel and Crandall, with the latter looking annoyed as the witch and her two companions landed last. 

Polly noticed that the witch had long, fluffy looking red hair and was as beautiful as a supermodel. What’s more, she also noticed that the witch wore a black, pointed hat with a gold and jasper crown on her head, the wide brim shading her face from the sun shining brightly overhead. The woman had dark blue eyes and was dressed in a sleeveless black dress with bat wings forming a bow at the back, long black gloves and a red jewel attached to a spiderweb styled cravat at her throat.

As for her two companions, they were a pair of Draconians- the hybrids of humans and dragons that looked a lot alike. Both were blonde with brown eyes and wore white shirts under orange and gold frock coats and brown pants with sturdy looking boots. Their hands ended in sharp looking claws and both had wings and tails upon their backs and patches of scales on their pale faces. The only difference, however, was that one twin was bright red while the other was a greenish-blue in color.

“Mint!” the witch then said with a smile, handing her broom to the Red Draconian and hugging the young shapeshifter tightly. “Oh sweetie, I haven’t seen you all year!~”

“Hello, Aunt Anastasia,” Mint said with a laugh as he hugged the witch back, while Crandall decided to finally speak up.

“You know this woman, Mint?” Crandall then said, while Anastasia smiled and let go of Mint before introducing herself.

“Oh, I didn't know you were with friends, Mint, allow me to introduce myself!” she said with a grin, “I am Anastasia Franceska Buckland, Witch Queen of Spherean and the greatest magic user in the entire kingdom! These two lovely boys are my apprentices, Crimson Ib and Sapphire Diego!”

“Do you really have to call us by those silly titles, Your Majesty?” Diego then said, the blue Draconian looking quite annoyed, “I know you practically raised us, but the names you gave us are kind of silly…”

“Well, how else are people going to tell who’s who when I introduce you?” Anastasia said with a smile, clearly enjoying herself as she continued and patted Diego on the head, causing him to flinch, “Besides, I am your Teacher in the mystical arts, so if you don’t want extra homework, I suggest you don’t complain too much, alright Diego?”

“Y-Yes ma’am,” Diego said with a grimace, while his twin merely chuckled and sighed.

“Apologies,” said Ib, “But my twin brother tends to be a little rough around the edges sometimes.”

“Oh it’s fine,” Polly said, before looking to Anastasia and speaking to her directly, “So, um, Your Majesty, why are you out here in Miravel?”

“Oh, I was just on my way to Thornsborough to give Mint his birthday present,” Anastasia said as she snapped her fingers and Ib came up with a rather ornate looking black bag. She then reached into it and pulled out a pair of boots of pale leather and presented them to Mint, “Well my dear Godson, I know in your last letter to me, you mentioned that your boots were starting to wear out, and since losing your boots during travel would be a bad thing, I decided to give you these new boots!”

“Thank you, Godmother,” Mint said with a smile as he took the boots, “They look very well made.”

“Well, I did have them commissioned by the very best cobbler in Spherean!” Anastasia said as she went into the specifics of the boots, “They’re made of Spherean Buffalo leather, and once they were done, I enchanted them so they’d be able to withstand anything! Not to mention since they’re made of leather, you won’t have any problems shifting shape in them as well!”

“Thank you, Aunt Anastasia,” Mint said as he decided to try putting the boots on then and there, while Polly looked away and focused on the witch, who was reaching into her bag.

“And since you’re traveling with a party,” Anastasia then said, “I think I’ll give something to your two friends as well!”

“Wait, what?” both Polly and Crandall then said in surprise, before the witch pulled out a beautiful looking silver pendant that looked vaguely like a heart and had a pale blue gem in the center. 

“Just accept it,” Diego then said as he crossed his arms, “Queen Anastasia likes giving people gifts that may be helpful later.”

“I-I see,” Polly said, just as Anastasia took the white-haired girl’s hands and placed the pendant in them.

“For you, Missy is something every girl needs- an amulet that will protect you from being enchanted- there are, after all, some nasty people out there, and I wouldn’t want to see a cute girl as you fall into the clutches of an evil villain!”

“Um, thank you, Your Majesty,” Polly said politely as she slipped on the amulet, “Also, my name is Polly Andrews.”

“A pleasure to meet you, Polly!” Anastasia said with a smile, before looking at Crandall and reaching into her bag yet again, “As for you young man… hmm… I know there’s something in here for you…”

As she reached her entire arm into her small bag, Crandall decided to introduce himself.

“My name’s Crandall Barry, ma’am, and uh… what sort of technology are you using to pull that off?”

“Oh, it’s magic, not technology,” Anastasia said as she smiled and grabbed something, “A-ha!” She then smiled as she pulled out a white flute and handed it to Crandall, a pleasant smile on her face.

“Um… thank you?” Crandall then said as he accepted the flute and looked it over, “What does it do?”

“Hmm… no idea yet, I bought it back in White Mountain, but I was told that if you play it well, something good will happen!”

“I...I see,” Crandall said and quietly thanked the witch while silently wondering if she may have been made victim to a scam. Of course, before he could say anything else, the Witch Queen then squealed with delight as she spotted Steel and proceeded to tackle him to the ground and hug him.

“Steel! It’s been ages!” she said as she nuzzled the man, causing him to blush in embarrassment as he spoke to her.

“It’s only been eighteen years, Ana,” he said once she let him go and he got up to dust himself off, “It hasn’t been that long… has it?”

“Maybe not for you, but it has been for me! Not even a letter from you since I last saw you!” Anastasia said with a sigh, before pulling the wizard away, “Anyway, I’d like to talk to you about some things in private, my apprentices will be happy to entertain your charges in the meantime.”

“Hey!” Diego then said, “Why do we have to babysit?”

“What’s that, Diego? You’d like more practice time on fire magic?” Anastasia said pleasantly, while Diego flinched and quickly shook his head.

“R-Right, I’ll be happy to speak to your Godson and his friends!” he then said, while allowing the Witch Queen and Steel to go a little aways from the group to chat. Once the pair of adults were alone however, the smiling queen then gave a sad look towards Steel as the wizard spoke to her.

“So, you seem to be doing well,” Steel then said calmly, “Anything you want to talk to me about, Ana?”

“Just want to know how you’ve been these past eighteen years, that’s all,” Anastasia said, “Spherean just hasn’t been the same without you.”

“I’ve been fine,” Steel said with a shrug, “I have my pets to keep me company, and life in Thornsborough is pretty peaceful, in all honesty. I have a good business as a counselor, and I’ve been doing my best to help people with my side business as a fortune teller.”

“I see,” Anastasia then said with a small smile, before adding, “You know I did miss you after you left, even though I had to take care of the twins after the old couple you left them with died.”

“Yeah, I noticed,” Steel said, and noticed that Anastasia was examining him then, “Something wrong?”

“You still look the same, after all these years,” Anastasia then said simply, “Then again, your situation did make you my father’s favorite research subject.”

“Yeah I remember,” Steel said with a laugh as he looked at the witch queen, “I also remember how you wanted to marry me when you were a little girl, and how that got me into a lot of trouble with your father.”

“Yes, I remember,” Anastasia said, “Though, I am curious if there’s still a chance of me becoming Mrs. Finch now that I’m an adult.”

“Not really, I see you as more of a daughter than a wife,” Steel said with a shrug, “Besides, you know I already fell in love once and we both know how that turned out…”

Anastasia sighed and looked at her two apprentices, who were busy showing off their magic to Polly, Mint, and Crandall- with Ib juggling fireballs and Diego making a rainbow out of mist. She then turned back to Steel and gave him a sad smile once again.

“It’s a shame what happened to their mother, and how The Slayer was framed for her death,” she then said, “We both know the truth, however, but we were unable to bring the culprit to justice, and you were forced to leave.”

“I had heard that sixteen years ago, Robiard Kisahs was killed by the Slayer,” Steel said, “Still… that bastard’s suffering in hell for what all he did, especially to his own daughter and Amelia.”

“I know,” Anastasia said, “I still don’t like how he threatened you when you tried to build a case against him though, but unfortunately, our hands were tied.”

“You did what you could,” Steel said, “Still… thanks for letting me see the boys, I have a pair of lilies planted in Thornsborough to help me keep an eye on them, but I’m happy to be able to see them in person.”

“I still don’t know why you couldn’t take them with you and raise them as your own after their mother died,” Anastasia said, “Amelia did make you the twins’ godfather after all.”

“If I raised them, they’d wonder why I didn’t age,” Steel said, “Besides, I… I didn’t want them to go through what I did with Daniel, and I don’t think either of them would have had the means to come back as he and I did.”

“I guess that makes sense,” Anastasia said with a sigh, “Still, after all, you’ve been through, you’d think that fatherhood would have been easy compared to--”

“Shush,” Steel then said, putting a hand over Anastasia’s mouth and indicating the group they had left behind to chat, as the witch queen looked at them, she saw that Crandall was staring at them as if he was listening in on them. He then flinched and turned towards Ib and as the pair of adults headed back to their charges, heard the red-headed boy ask a question.

“So, uh… Ib, is that name short for something?”

“Hm? Oh, that,” Ib then said with a sigh, “Ib is short for Iblishothshrual, but it’s hard to pronounce so I just prefer to go by Ib.”

“Oh, I uh, see,” Crandall said just as Anastasia clapped her hands and spoke up.

“Well, I think we’ve taken up enough of your time,” she said, “Ib, Diego, let’s head back to Spherean!”

“But your Majesty, what about the prince? He’s still in White Mountain undergoing his studies… I figured you’d want to go see him a little longer.” said Ib in surprise, while Diego looked a little worried as the blue Draconian presented the queen her broomstick.

“I do miss my little Elphi, but he’d think I’m smothering him if I did that, besides, I’m sure he’s fine with King Diomarlon and his family!” Anastasia said as she mounted her broom, Diego giving a sigh of relief as the witch and her two apprentices gave one last look at Mint, Polly, Crandall, and Steel.

“Well Mint, it was great seeing you!” she then said with a grin, “And Steel, you best take care of my Godson and his friends, otherwise you’ll know what will happen if they die!~”

“Don’t worry, Ana, I’ll make sure they’ll be fine,” Steel then said, while Mint looked curiously at the wizard while the Witch Queen and her two apprentices took off.

“How exactly do you know Aunt Anastasia, Mr. Finch?” Mint then asked, earning the wizard a suspicious look from Crandall and a curious look from Polly.

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” was all Steel said as he went to mount Silver Arrow, “Anyway, let’s get going, we have a rescue to get to, remember?”

“Right,” the three teens then said and prepared to once again head for the Doll Manor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, in this chapter, we learn just what happened to Rosa after her encounter with the mystery voice when her heart got broken by Mint. We also meet Aunt Anastasia.. who happens to be the Witch Queen of Spherean as well as her two apprentices, Ib and Diego.
> 
> Oh, and we also learn that Steel Finch might be a lot older than he seems.
> 
> Now when it came to the gifts, I honestly had trouble figuring out what to give Crandall, mainly because I didn't want to have him be left out of the fun by Aunt Anastasia- she just didn't seem to be the type of person to ignore a child in need. So, I came up with a white flute. Not sure what it will do yet, but it's bound to come up sooner or later...
> 
> Oh, and we also learn that Troy has a crush on Polly's brother, Fred, though that confession might not come to be in the current situation on Earth in this story...


	9. Strength and Spells

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Troy and his family have a chat over breakfast, Polly and Co rest up after a long day of flying.

Troy Dunnin groaned as he entered the training room of the Symphonia, his father’s starship that was parked right outside of Swingtown. Today, he had planned to see just how much power he actually had compared to his mother, and as the brunette with a blue streak in his hair walked to the center of the room, he was met with a hologram of a woman wearing a blue and white bodysuit decorated with musical notes, a treble clef pin in her hair and a smile on her face. This was the AI of the Symphonia, and as she looked at Troy, the teen couldn’t help but smile back at her. Symphonia, after all, had practically raised his father when he was a boy, and so Troy considered her family as well. 

“Good Morning, Troy,” Symphonia then said, her short, bluish-white hair shining as she ran her fingers through it. “Have you had breakfast yet?”

“No, not yet,” Troy said with a sigh, “I figured that I’d test my strength and abilities first, it’s only six in the morning after all.”

“No training until you eat,” Symphonia said in a stern, motherly tone as she pointed her hand at the wall to open a replicator panel, and in a flash of light, Troy saw that she had made him a plate of blueberry pancakes with eggs and bacon on the side, “You need as much energy as you can get. You are a growing boy, and you need to eat. Honestly, your father would tend to forget to eat while he was working in his lab at your age! It’s a miracle that he’s managed to not develop a disorder in the process.”

“Alright, alright,” Troy said as he walked over to the replicator to pick up his breakfast. As he ate, he was still surprised by how real the replicated food tasted, though he preferred his mother’s home cooking whenever she was home to do so. Still, he said nothing and silently ate his meal. It wasn’t long that his father came into the room, however, carrying what looked like a ray-gun as he wore jeans and a black t-shirt with the image of a green, bug-shaped starship on it. Though, as he saw his son in shorts and a tank top eating breakfast, he couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow and smile, his brown mustache curling a bit as he did so.

“Taking an early morning jog?” said Bill Dunnin said jokingly as he twirled the ray-gun in his hands before holstering it at his hip.

“Nope,” Troy said after swallowing a mouthful of pancake, “Going to see how strong I really am, as well as test my other powers of flight and energy manipulation. Well, after breakfast anyway.”

“Make sure you stretch first,” Bill said as he sat down next to his son and swiped a strip of bacon off of his plate, “I know Symphonia tended to give me hell for not stretching right after eating a meal.”

“I still do,” said Symphonia with a smile as she hovered around the room, checking holographic screens detailing ship schematics and energy levels, “Then again, it is my job to make sure my Captain is in the best shape possible.”

“Yes, yes,” Bill said with a wave of his hand, “And I did help you eject your previous captain when he was pulled out of cryostasis… I wonder how he’s handling the Island of Monsters? Last I heard Fryzilla was in quite the nasty mood that day…”

“Well, she was nesting,” Symphonia said, “And my previous captain was an awful man who didn’t even think to listen to me when I had started developing a consciousness. In fact, he would have wiped my memory if it hadn’t been for you, Bill.”

“You’re family, Symphonia,” Bill said plainly, “Besides, I wasn’t going to let anyone take over the world with my home! _Especially_ after he threatened my wife!”

“Oh yeah, that was the time you saved the world, right Dad?” Troy said, recalling the incident a few years ago when someone had taken over his father’s ship and threatened to destroy the earth unless he was given complete control over it. While the Justice Battalion did try and stop him, the villainous captain from the future didn’t even think about just how well The Anachronism knew the Symphonia.

“Yep,” Bill said with a smile, “Though, I’ll admit, it was rather funny for a supervillain to be the one to take down the threat to the entire planet, rather than a superhero. Dynamo was seething and sulking for days after that!”

Troy smiled as his father laughed at that particular memory, and according to his mother, Dynamo and The Anachronism had quite the rivalry going. Ever since the two had first met when Bill was just starting out, attempting to be a teen superhero until Dynamo mistook him for a villain due to his costume. Sure, Bill did do some things as a villain such as rob banks and cause trouble in general, but he had also done some good while disguising it as acts of villainy, such as protecting the town from an earthquake by rubberizing it temporarily, or even helping Troy’s own mother cope while they were both in a time loop for two years. In fact, back when his father was still a supervillain, he wasn’t even considered that threatening with all the good he’d done behind the scenes, such as give his medical inventions to Shriners hospitals to be used to help children. 

That was, as far as Troy knew, why Dynamo hated his father. Because while he did commit crimes for the sake of spiting the mighty hero, The Anachronism had managed to outdo Dynamo on several fronts in terms of being good. That, and something to do with his mom as well, since he recalled that she and Dynamo once dated very briefly.

“So, Troy,” Bill then said, getting the younger brunette’s attention then, “I’ve been wondering something the past couple of weeks.”

“What is it, Dad?” Troy then asked in confusion.

“Well, why didn’t you go after Polly back in Shoresville?”

“Oh, that,” Troy then said with a sigh, “Well, I did kind of almost drown, so I didn’t think I’d be in good condition to go on an adventure in some other world. Not to mention, I didn’t want you and Mum to worry more than you already were.”

“I see,” Bill then said as he twirled his mustache in thought, “Thank you, son, because you’re right, your mother and I _would_ be extremely worried about your safety if you had gone with your friend. I can’t imagine what Polly’s family is going through, having to watch their daughter while she’s in another world. Though, from what your mother said about Dynamo, he doesn’t seem to care that his son is missing.”

“What?” Troy said in surprise and would have asked more had his mother not entered the training room with a cup of coffee in her hand, a fuzzy pink robe covering her body and her long blonde hair down and laying loosely around her shoulders. She was unmasked for once, and her son could see tan lines on her face from how often she’d have her domino mask on in the first place.

“So, here’s where you two have been hiding,” said Marian Moss, also known as Lady Wonder, as Bill and Troy looked at the woman, they saw the playful smile on her face as she gave her husband a one-armed hug and sat down on the bench of the training room where both of them were sitting. “So, what were you two talking about?”

“Oh, just about how Dynamo doesn’t seem to care that his son’s not on our world anymore,” Troy said as he finished his breakfast, Symphonia taking the plate and sending it away to be washed up in another part of the ship.

“I see,” Marian said with a sigh, “I’ll admit, I do find it strange that Dynamo doesn’t seem to care that his son’s missing, but he has been angrier than normal lately, so I don’t know, maybe he does care, but is having trouble showing it… he’s so different from his father, that I just don’t know how it could have happened.” 

“What do you mean, Mum?” Troy then asked, while his father gave his wife a curious look as well.

“Well, Mr. Dynamic was the friendliest and upbeat man I know- still is, in fact. But Dynamo… He’s just so distant and broody all the time. It’s why our relationship lasted only a week. Not to mention that I feel sorry for his wife, or well, ex-wife. After they divorced, she couldn’t even visit her son in case it jeopardized his secret identity! I mean, as a boy, Dynamo was a good kid, so I honestly don’t know what changed him… not to mention that fight he got into with his own father about how to raise Dyna-Lad.”

“What do you mean by a fight?” Troy then asked, while Bill remained silent.

“Well, I know you know Dyna-lad’s real name thanks to that crystal ball of yours, Troy, but when Crandall was little, Dynamo would leave him with his grandfather while he was doing work for the Justice Battalion. Then, one day while I was visiting my old friend and met Crandall, Dynamo just burst into Mr. Dynamic’s base and started shouting at his father about taking Crandall camping. I honestly didn’t see anything wrong with it, but for some reason, Dynamo did. Even when I asked why they got into a fight, all Dynamo said to me was that it wasn’t my business and that I should stick to raising my own child and leave his alone.”

“So, are you saying that Dyna Lad may not have had a normal childhood?” Bill then said in worry, and as Marian nodded, he frowned and clenched his fist. “I see… perhaps it would please The Council to do an investigation into Dyna Lad’s home life, and I would happily supply any tools they need to pull it off.”

“Bill…” Marian then said, “Are you implying that Dynamo might be abusing his own son?”

“I honestly don’t know what’s going on behind closed doors for the Dynamic family,” Bill then said, “but from what Troy and I have watched of Dyna Lad in that other world, he’s been nothing but a little jerk to Polly and also to Mint, who so far had been nothing but nice to them. I mean, sure, he might be emulating his father but then again, from my personal experience with that particular superhero? Dynamo is nothing but an asshole- pardon my language. Ever since we first met, he has judged me not as a peer, but outright seems to think I’m inferior to him because I have no powers. He called me a supervillain when I tried to be a hero, he views my technology as cheating whenever we’ve faced off. He even accused me one time of brainwashing you when he found out we were married! That judgemental flying brick head won’t even let me speak to him now that I’m going full hero! Oh, and don’t even get me started on how suspicious his divorce was, I can’t even find his ex-wife to get her side of things either!”

“Bill, don’t you think you’re getting a bit obsessed with your rivalry?” Marian then said, “Or do I need to bring up the fact that you have an entire room devoted to your exploits against Dynamo and his son?”

“I only have that room because I used to respect him,” Bill then said, “However, since the brainwashing accusation, it’s become where I go when I want to investigate any signs in the past about his behavior.”

“You do realize that I tore into him when that happened, right?” Marian then said, “Honestly, you try and brainwash someone? You’re much too honorable to sink that low.”

“I know honey,” Bill said, before moving to kiss her on the cheek, “Of course, to change the subject, I am curious about something about that other world- especially regarding how that dragon Silvas knew about Ridley.”

“I’m curious as well,” Marian said, “Though, now that I think about it, his being from another world does explain how Ridley didn’t recognize some technology back in the day.”

“Do you remember how he died?” Bill then asked, “I know it’s painful to think about, but maybe his death will hold some answers about why Kite Sid decided to take the bracelet back to Ridley’s homeworld.”

“Alright,” Marian said, setting her coffee down and taking a deep breath, “It started on the day of the Normandy Invasion, the Battalion and I working together to help the Allies fight against the Axis Powers. Ridley and I got separated in the chaos, but when Mr. Dynamic and I were met with Kite Sid, we followed him to Ridley’s remains, which were lying across from the body of Baron Von Schwarzgeist, his arch-enemy during the war. Kite took the bracelet off of Ridley, and as I explained before, he said that it was his duty as Ridley’s godfather to protect his legacy.”

“Do you think he was keeping an eye on Ridley’s family with Mary as well?” Troy then said, realization hitting him.

“It’s possible,” Marian said quietly, “I know that Ridley and Mary were close, I just didn’t realize how close they really were.”

Troy and his father said nothing at that, both simply hugging Marian as she started to weep, still missing her dear friend. 

“I’m going to go work on improving and repairing the Resurrector,” Bill then said as he got up to leave the room, though Troy also caught a glimpse of a series of scars on his father’s left arm that looked like letters from some unknown language. Sure, he had caught glimpses of those scars throughout his life, but he never really had the courage to ask about them.

“Mum, why do you think Dad was intent on helping expose any abuse Dyna Lad might have been going through?” Troy then asked, only for Symphonia to throw in her two cents.

“Because Bill has been in a similar boat,” the ship’s AI said, “I will not go into specifics, but I will advise asking the Captain about it when he isn’t busy.”

“Right,” Troy said before he got up and went to begin his workout by stretching as he prepared to lift some weights the ship had brought into the training room from a side compartment, his mother watching over him and doing her best to spot him when he needed help when things got too heavy for him.

~0~

Meanwhile, in Fanterra, our heroes were setting up camp to rest after a long night and following day of flying through the sky, their destination still some distance away. Crandall and Mint were busy setting up the three tents they had brought with them, while Steel was cooking dinner with Polly’s help. As she peeled potatoes for the stew, Steel decided to chat with her for a bit.

“So,” Steel said as Polly got the last of the potatoes he chopped up into the stew, “Ready to learn your first spell?”

“Mister Finch, are you sure?” Polly then asked in surprise, her hand over her mouth as she glanced over at Mint and Crandall to make sure her ex wasn’t listening in as he had with Steel and Anastasia.

“Of course,” Steel then said, looking at his student expectantly, the older wizard also glancing down at the bracelet she wore on her wrist, “If you’re going to be a Dragoon, then you are going to need to learn magic to help protect yourself.”

“Mister Finch, how did you know I was a Dragoon?” Polly asked, causing Steel to point to her bracelet.

“Silvas told me about what’s going on, remember?” he said with a smile, “Also, I read about them when I was a boy a long time ago.”

“I see,” Polly then said, before she looked inquisitively towards her new teacher, “What will you teach me first, Mister Finch? How to cast fireballs?”

“Nope,” Steel said, “You’re not ready for that yet, instead I’m going to teach you the most important spell taught to beginning mages in Spherean- the healing spell.”

“Alright,” Polly said, understanding in her eyes as Steel recalled just why the healing spell was taught first- mainly due to the fact that the swamp bound Kingdom of Spherean was filled with danger, mainly in the form of the giant, fire breathing chickens that roamed the swamps. Sure, it was highly unlikely that those chickens would show up in the mountains of Miravel, but in his opinion, it was still a very useful spell to have along with the other two useful spells- Repra, which repaired broken items, but also the spell Datasyr, which allowed the caster to gain knowledge about an object or person.

With this in mind, Steel then took the knife he had used to chop up vegetables and held out his hand, before dragging the blade across the palm, cutting it.

“Holy Cats!” Polly said, causing Steel to raise an eyebrow in confusion for a moment before he began his explanation.

“Alright then,” he said in his rough voice, “I’m going to teach you how magic works- it’s simple in all honesty since it is powered by emotion and intent. For example, take my now injured hand, it requires a healing spell to recover at the moment.”

“But, how do I perform a healing spell?” Polly then asked, looking a little worried.

“Alright, you saw how my hand was before, right?” Steel asked, earning a nod from Polly, “I want you to keep that in mind and take my hand in yours, imagining how it was before and focusing on the body repairing itself. Then, with that in mind, say the word ‘Heyal’ to activate the spell itself.”

“Alright…” Polly said before she took the injured hand in her own and began to concentrate. As she tried to imagine the injury repairing itself, she felt a strange warmth flow through her body into her fingers. Next thing she knew, her fingers started to glow as she touched the bleeding cut and traced it gently as she whispered the spell before she watched in surprise as the cut closed itself instantly.

“It worked!” she said happily, while Steel smiled and looked at his formerly bleeding hand.

“Hey, not bad,” he said, “You’re a natural at this, it usually takes new witches and wizards some time before they get the hang of Heyal.”

“So, why did you want me to learn a healing spell first?” Polly then asked, causing the wizard to take a swig from his flask for a moment, thinking of whether or not to be honest with her.

“Because it’s useful,” he said, deciding that honesty was the best path for the moment, “That, and there’s a very good reason that healing is taught first in Spherean.”

“And why is that?” Polly asked while twisting a lock of her curly white hair around her finger.

“Because Spherean has fire breathing giant chickens,” Steel said with a shrug, “and because of those chickens, attempts to domesticate them have led to a lot of visits to a healer. So, the Royal Family decreed that all schools of magic in the kingdom would teach healing first and foremost.”

“Golly!” Polly said and started chatting with Steel to learn more about Spherean as well as magic in general.

~0~

Meanwhile, as Steel was teaching Polly about magic, Mint and Crandall were busy setting up the tents, with Crandall pounding the stakes into the ground with Mint handling the rest. As they worked, Mint noticed that the young superhero seemed to be struggling with tying a simple knot, and decided to start a conversation about it.

“Have you never been camping before?” the shapeshifter then asked politely, only for Crandall to glare at him as he continued working at tying the rope to the stake in the ground.

“I don’t want to talk to you,” Crandall said, trying and failing to get the knot tied.

“Is it because of Polly?” Mint then asked in concern, and earning himself a stronger glare, and making him realize he was on to him, “To be honest, I don’t think you’ll have much chance of earning at least her friendship with how you’ve been acting.”

“What would you know, you’re just a shapeshifter!” Crandall snapped at Mint, snapping the rope in the process as well.

“What does my being a shapeshifter have to do with anything?” Mint then asked, genuinely confused. Sure, he had heard the stories of how his kind was treated in Spherean in the past due to their inability to use magic, but as far as he knew, that shouldn’t have been a problem in his father’s world.

“Are you serious?” Crandall then asked in disbelief, “My father told me that shapeshifters shouldn’t be trusted, they just deceive people again and again, without caring who gets hurt in the process.”

“I’ve been nothing but honest with you and Polly,” Mint said, trying his best to defend himself. He honestly couldn’t believe what he was hearing! Shapeshifters hurting people with deception? Surely not all of his kind would be like that!

“Yeah, right,” Crandall said, his doubt clear on his face as he continued to glare at Mint, his arms crossed as the shapeshifter continued propping up the tent before using a set of spinnerets to repair the broken rope with strong webbing, “For all I know, your appearance could be just a sham to lull us into a false sense of security around you!”

Mint froze at this comment and glared at Crandall, causing the young superhero to flinch in surprise. He didn’t know what to say and still remain polite, but he was rather hurt by one of the heroes of his father’s world being such an awful person. Sure, he knew that Crandall didn’t like him, but he assumed that it was because of his friendship with Polly more than anything, and nothing to do with what he was. 

So, Mint chose to say nothing at all, turning away and getting back to work on the next tent on his own.

~0~

Later that evening, while Mint and Polly were asleep in their tents, Crandall and Steel were taking the first watch of the evening. While they had drawn lots to see who would get the first watch, both the wizard and the young hero had drawn the short straw, which meant in a few hours, they would wake up Polly and Mint to take over. 

Still, Crandall had to admit that the night sky of this world was beautiful to look at, and as he looked up at the numerous stars twinkling overhead, he appreciated the lack of light pollution that was common in his world, which usually led to him normally flying really high up just to see this sight. Also, while he didn’t recognize any of the constellations in this world, he felt he could at least appreciate the view for now. Though, he kind of wished his father was there, so he could share the sight with him and hear what he would think of it. Sure, his father was a bit distant at times, but Crandall knew he meant well, especially since being a hero was a full-time job.

“Enjoying the view?” Steel then said, drawing Crandall out of his thoughts as he realized he was smiling. Quickly frowning again, Crandall looked away from the stars above him and stared at the man keeping him company that night. As maroon eyes pierced his blue ones, however, Crandall quickly turned away, still feeling uncomfortable whenever he locked eyes with Steel, especially since it felt like the guy was staring into his very soul for some reason.

“It’s nice, I guess,” Crandall said then, drawing his knees up to his chin as he kept his eyes focused on the flames.

“Yeah, I guess you don’t see a sight like this often, huh?” Steel said, before adding with a smirk, “Then again, I guess it isn’t that often you have your head out of your ass, is it?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Crandall then said in annoyance, glancing over at Steel as he threw a branch into the fire to keep it burning.

“Just saying that you have a bit of an attitude problem, kid,” Steel said bluntly, catching Crandall off guard as he started to pout.

“Well, if you were in my shoes, you’d probably be the same,” Crandall said, causing Steel to roll his eyes.

“Let’s see, you’re supposed to be one of those superheroes that Koichi told me about, aren’t ya?” Steel said, grabbing Crandall’s full attention, “From what I can tell, you’re not acting like one.”

“My dad taught me to be a superhero,” Crandall said coldly, while Steel seemed highly unimpressed.

“He did a shit job then if he never taught you to respect others,” the wizard said flatly, “Don’t think I missed what you said to Mint.”

“He’s a shapeshifter,” Crandall said, “Dad always told me that they’re not to be trusted with anything.”

“I’ll have you know that Mint’s mother is one of the best Apothecaries in Miravel, and I trust her with my life as well as with the lives of my pets back home in Thornsborough,” Steel then said, “And Mint is the nicest kid I know, so excuse me for calling you out on some bullshit.”

Crandall said nothing to this, mainly because he wasn’t sure how to respond to that. Was what his father said really nothing but propaganda? No, he had to be right… didn’t he?

“Did you ever meet a shapeshifter before Mint and his mother?” Steel then asked, causing Crandall to shake his head.

“Wel, no, but my Dad has,” Crandall said, “He knows a lot about the world Polly and I are from, and he’s one of our greatest heroes too!”

“And did he ever do normal dad-stuff with you?” Steel then asked, “Things like camping, letting you stay out with friends, give you advice when you needed it?”

“Well… no, he was too busy for that,” Crandall said, “And, um, I really don’t have any friends outside of Polly…”

Steel looked at him, though whether it was with disgust or something else, Crandall couldn’t tell. Was it really a bad thing, growing up alone?

“What about your mother or relatives?” Steel then asked, “Surely you were able to interact with them, right?”

“Actually… My parents are divorced, and I haven’t even heard from my mother since the divorce happened, my Dad managed to get full custody of me.” Crandall said, “I get updates about my grandpa in the news since he’s a superhero too.”

“What about aunts, uncles, and cousins? Surely you have those as well, right?” Steel then asked, while Crandall wasn’t sure why Steel was asking this, much less why he felt like he should answer him. And yet, here he was, doing just that. Sure, he felt Steel’s eyes made him look like a villain, and that there was something seriously off about the man before him, but for some reason, Crandall felt like he could share anything with the man.

“I don’t have any of those as far as I know,” Crandall then said with a sigh, “As far as I know, my mom left my dad and then disappeared, so I don’t really know her side of the family that well, if at all. I hardly even remember my mother now, since the divorce was years ago.”

“Listen,” Steel then said with a groan, “I may not be an expert, but it sounds like your dad may have screwed you up.”

“What do you mean by that?” Crandall asked in annoyance, “Dad’s a great person!”

“From what you’ve told me, your dad didn’t seem keen on letting you have any friends,” Steel said, “Or contact with your mom’s side of the family as well, overall you kind of don’t know how to be a person, do you?”

“Maybe I didn’t want friends, did you think about that?” Crandall retorted while Steel gave him a flat look of annoyance as the young hero continued, “Besides, I’m not human, I’m Dynasian- a human-looking race from another planet.”

“Your mother was human, wasn’t she?” Steel said, causing Crandall to flinch and look away from the man once again, having not realized that he was making eye contact once more.

“You shouldn’t have been able to know that,” Crandall said, “Not even Polly knew that…”

“Listen, kid,” Steel then said with a sigh as he ran his fingers through his black hair, “I was raised by my father too, a long time ago, he wasn’t some superhero like yours, but a simple broom maker trying to make ends meet. Sure, he made his mistakes, like letting himself be tricked into abandoning my brother and me in the woods thanks to my bastard of an uncle, but I end up forgiving him in the end. After all, he still tried to make sure my brother and I were taken care of, had friends growing up, and even tried to educate us. It wasn’t the best life, sure, but I still consider my father a good man.”

“He sounds like it,” Crandall said with a hint of jealousy in his voice, “But that doesn’t explain how you knew I was only part human when I haven’t even told Polly.”

“I’m a wizard, I get to learn things about people whenever I want,” Steel said with a shrug, “Anyway, I saw you struggling with the tents, have you never been camping, kid?”

“Well… no…” Crandall said in embarrassment, “My grandpa tried to take me camping once, but my dad found out and they got into a fight… Dad thinks camping is kind of dumb.”

“Then your dad is an idiot,” Steel said, “It’s a basic survival skill in this world, so you should do well to learn how to at least tie a knot or something.”

“I guess…” Crandall said with a shrug, a silence soon coming between the two as the fire crackled. Crandall decided to help stoke the flames with his heat vision, picking up a log from the pile and lighting it with a thought as red beams came from his blue eyes. It was a simple task, in his opinion, and while Steel said nothing at the sight, it wasn’t long after this that he spoke again.

“So, how did you meet Polly?” Steel then asked, causing Crandall to feel like he had to be sarcastic with the man.

“Can’t your powers tell you that?” Crandall then asked, “You’re supposed to be a wizard after all.”

“They can, but I’d rather hear it from your mouth, smart ass,” Steel said, causing the young hero to sigh and play along for now.

“Fine,” he said, “I met Polly when I saved her from some thugs in our home of Swingtown… well, before Dad and I moved there, that is.”

“Did she appreciate the help?” Steel then asked, earning a nod from Crandall, “Alright, so why did you move to Swingtown?”

“Because Dad wanted to after he heard about me rescuing her,” Crandall said, “He decided that since he couldn’t let me go to and from school by flying to the Pacific ocean all the time, he figured it would be a good idea for me to get close to Polly by going to her school. I… kind of enjoyed going to school, instead of being taught by computers all the time.”

“I see,” Steel said, though Crandall seemed to feel like he had something on his mind, going by the concerned expression on his face, but Crandall still continued his story.

“Dad and I even went to Polly’s house in costume so I could officially ask her to be my girlfriend- that’s when I gave her this pearl necklace,” he then said, pulling the necklace in question out of his pocket. “Dad said that she wouldn’t be able to take it off if she truly loved me, but... I messed up. I messed up and now my only friend hates me. I… I don’t know if I can even make it right.”

As Crandall broke down, holding the pearls close, the young hero at a loss as to what to do. When Polly took the necklace off, he was surprised and hurt when she silently placed them in his hand. He knew that they were having problems in their relationship, but he didn’t know how to address or fix them. 

Maybe Steel and Polly were right, and that Crandall didn’t know how to really be human. Sure, he knew how to be a Dynasian from his father, but he realized then that he needed to be human like his mother. He didn’t know how to go about it, he didn’t know where to even begin, but as he thought about his bet with Kite Sid, he swore he would do whatever it took to get Polly back fairly- no tricks, just him being honest, once she gave him a chance to make things right.

“So,” Steel then said, “Why did you love Polly?”

Crandall looked up at Steel and blinked away his tears, confused for a moment as he answered him.

“Because she’s the most beautiful girl I’ve met?” he said, while Steel seemed unimpressed.

“Okay, what else do you love about Polly?” he said, causing Crandall to become even more confused.

“What else is there?” Crandall then asked, only to watch as Steel got up, moved closer to Crandall, and smacked him on the back of the head, _“Ow!_ What was that for!?”

“Okay, I think I found the root of the problem between you and Polly,” Steel said, “If you want to fix things with her, maybe start seeing her as a person, instead of a pretty face.”

With that, Crandall watched as Steel took a swig from his flask, before walking away from camp to go check on the clockwork horses, letting Crandall look over at Polly’s tent, before using his x-ray vision to watch over her, the side of the tent seemingly vanishing as he saw the girl asleep in her bedroll. She was alone in the tent, thankfully, and until it was time to swap roles, he’d do his best to make sure to protect her, even if she didn’t like him at the moment.

That’s just what heroes did… right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, in this chapter, we see that the Symphonia's got an AI running things, and is probably technically Troy's grandma through adoption on his father's side of the family. 
> 
> We also learn that Troy's father saved the world once while still a supervillain- then again, someone WAS using his home to try and take over the world, which is something he's against since well, he was basically raised by Symphonia. Not to mention we get more information about the relationship between the House of Dyna and The Anachronism, and while Mr. Dynamic is most likely the only one okay with Bill's change to the side of Good, Dynamo sure as hell isn't. In fact, Dynamo's basically being an asshole about the whole thing.
> 
> Also yes, Troy's parents got together during a time loop, and since this will most likely never come up in-story, I'll just say that during the time loop, Marian was at a bar that Bill frequented, they both found out they were aware of the loop and decided to meet up more often during it to keep their sanity, which eventually led to them becoming engaged once the loop ended.
> 
> Meanwhile, Polly learns her first spell- Heyal the healing spell. We also see Crandall screw up royally with Mint and finally get a bit of counseling from Steel.
> 
> Now, for some behind the scenes facts about this chapter- I was actually stuck on this chapter for over a year thanks to writer's block caused by being unable to decide to go with an explanation of Ridley's death, or a flashback, combined with a new doggo coming into the house. Now that the doggo, Phantom is over a year old, combined with watching the Zero Hour review done by Linkara, I finally got my muse for this story back and went with the explanation instead of a flashback.
> 
> So yeah, thanks to Linkara, I got back into gear for writing this story.
> 
> But yeah, back to the chapter itself, well, Crandall just doesn't know how to human- most likely due to his father being a bit of a dick and isolating the poor kid. Also, apparently he's been thinking with the wrong head for the past two years when it came to Polly.
> 
> Also, this is the last full chapter I've written in the google doc I'm working from so from this point onward, chapters will be a bit slower to come. In the meantime, feel free to comment theories and the like about what's going on in both worlds, ok?


	10. Rosa

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At the Doll Manor, Rosa awakens to a terrifying situation

Rosa Cortez let out a small growl as she opened her golden eyes, the morning sun blinding her momentarily as she tried to remember what had happened. The last thing she could recall was Mint rejecting her, followed by her running into the woods outside of Thornsborough, before that voice came to her and messed with her mind. She paled as she then realized what had happened to her and what she had given her kidnapper permission to do.

“Mint... I’m so sorry,” she whispered, though she knew her beloved friend wouldn’t hear her.

As she looked around the room with cream-colored walls she realized that she was laying in a wooden bed with pale blue sheets and a matching canopy made out of silk. There was also a sense of familiarity about the room as she walked to the giant windows leading out to a balcony overlooking a beautiful and well-kept garden fit for an aristocrat. She could see roses from where she stood and a flowering tree and was about to open them when she felt like someone or something was watching her, though she didn’t smell anything in the room. 

As she glanced at the dolls on the shelves and scattered about the room watching her with glass eyes, she realized that she had been in this room before when she was a child, though then she was drinking tea with the dolls of this place, rather than being a victim of kidnapping. 

She remembered that this place, this Manor of Dolls was a tourist attraction in the Kingdom of Miravel, founded some twenty years before by Madame Lulia Almandine, a living doll that wanted to make a safe haven for those like her as well as a home for herself and the dolls she created. No one knew the secret to how she brought the dolls she made to life, and even when visitors to the Manor asked, all they got was a silent smile and nothing more. Still, this did not deter people from coming to the manor to try and become apprentice doll makers for Madame Lulia, only to be turned away and treated as mere guests for the night before they were sent home.

As Rosa recalled, however, the mysterious Madame Lulia was rather nice, if a bit quiet- most likely due to being a doll herself, and even claimed to have spent time as a human before she was turned back into a doll.

Still, as Rosa recalled why she was here, she started to panic. What if her kidnapper was here with her? Well, that was most likely a given since she was so far from home, and she had to have been brought to this room somehow, right? Maybe the dolls of the manor fought off her kidnapper and rescued her, however, there was the problem of how she’d be able to get home- she wasn’t that much of a fighter like her parents were, and as she was still in the dress she was wearing for the Dragon Festival, it was clear that she wouldn’t be able to do much traveling without ruining the dress her cousin Ricky had put so much work into.

However, she also knew that she needed to escape in case her kidnapper was around, especially if he had ill intent towards her. She needed to get out of the room, to try and figure out what was going on. However, she was also scared- scared that her kidnapper was indeed around in the manor somewhere, plotting ways to punish Mint for hurting her. She never wanted Mint to suffer like this, so why? Why did she allow this to happen?

Then it hit her- magic. It had to have been magic that caused her to agree to be taken, agree to Mint’s suffering, and who knows what else might have happened to her while under enchantment.

That thought was what scared her the most.

It was then that the door opened, causing Rosa to nervously look to see who or what had come to see her. This turned out to be a doll the size of a full-grown man of about six feet tall, with clawed hands and a pair of red lacquered horns coming through his black hair. He was a handsome, almost princely looking doll, but he was dressed in gray pants with a black tailcoat over a white shirt and blue waistcoat. The man’s skin was made up of white porcelain and his blue eyes were made up of glass that twinkled in the sunlight entering the room. Overall, though he seemed a little scary, the way this doll held himself showed a kindness to him, especially as he wheeled in a cart carrying breakfast- waffles and apple syrup with toast, sausage and bacon on the side along with a pot of breakfast tea and a jug of milk in case Rosa didn’t want the tea.

“Ah, you’re finally awake!” the doll then said, as he clapped his clawed hands together, the porcelain face actually shifting to show him smile thanks to the magic animating him. As he set Rosa’s breakfast on the table in the middle of the room, the wolf girl found herself nervously edging towards the balcony window as the doll decided to introduce himself, “My name is Sebastian, Mother Lulia’s head butler for the Manor, have you found your accommodations to your liking?”

“Yes, they’re lovely,” Rosa said with a small nod, “Did I come here with anyone else? I… don’t really know how I got to the Manor, Sebastian.”

“I see,” the doll said, his face showing a hint of confusion, “It seems that your fiance must not have told you yet.”

_ “Fiance!?” _ Rosa then asked in a bit of a panic, “Wh-what are you talking about?”

“Oh, the young man that brought you to us while you slept claimed to be your fiance, and that you ran away together to elope.” Sebastian then said, “I assume that I and the other dolls have been lied to?”

“Yes!” Rosa said, “I-I was kidnapped after being put under an enchantment, I don’t even know who or what brought me here!”

“Oh my!” the doll then said, putting a hand over his mouth as his glass eyes widened, “That’s horrible! The young man who brought you here, Roland, claimed you fell asleep on the road as you two traveled together. If what you say is true, then I must inform Mother Lulia at once!”

The doll then took out a paper doll from inside his pocket, the little doll unfolding itself into the form of a little soldier before giving Sebastian a salute. 

“Remi,” Sebastian then said sternly, “I assume you heard what this young lady had said about her situation?”

The little paper soldier nodded in silence, and Sebastian continued to speak as he added, “Good, I need you to report this to Mother Lulia immediately!”

Rosa watched as Remi saluted again before he hopped out of the larger doll’s hand and ran to the door, sliding under it to deliver his message, leaving her and the butler alone for the moment. Still, as Rosa looked at the stern doll before her, she saw Sebastian take on a more concerned expression as he spoke to her again.

“I want you to know that during your stay here, the other dolls and I will do our best to protect you from Roland,” he said, “Though, may I have your name and how you happened to be in his company?”

“My name is Rosa Cortez,” the wolf girl then said, her tail hanging limply as she recalled what happened, “I.. I was rejected by someone I love dearly, and I ran into the woods to try and collect myself. That’s when I heard a voice speak to me. It became harder to think, and I was placed under an enchantment to allow Roland to torment my friend, a boy named Mint Wood. I don’t remember anything after that, I’m afraid.”

“I see,” Sebastian then said as he crossed his arms to think, a frown forming as he thought for a moment, “I have no doubt that you will be rescued, so until a rescue party comes to get you, the denizens of the Manor will make sure that you remain safe.”

“But… but what if I’m  _ not _ safe?” Rosa then said, feeling her fear rise. “This Roland is a magician of some kind, if he put an enchantment on me to get me here, there’s no telling what else he did to me!”

Rosa started to panic then, as the realization that whoever Roland was, there was no telling what he might have done to her while she was asleep. Then again, she didn’t even know how long she was asleep, which caused her to feel even more afraid. 

She wanted to get out of this place, she needed to get out! She didn’t want to stay here when her kidnapper could come in at any moment to bewitch her once again!

As she spied the balcony, instinct took over as she ran towards the window and pulled them open with all her strength, ripping them off the hinges in the process. As she ran onto the balcony, she was about to climb onto the wall around it when she felt an arm grab her and pul her into a hug.

“L-Let me go!!” she cried out, only for Sebastian to keep hugging her as she started to cry.

“I know that you are afraid and that your situation seems like there’s no escape,” the doll then said gently, “But do know that I will not tolerate any uncouth behavior towards a lady, especially one in your situation, Miss Cortez. I promise that the dolls of this manor will do whatever it takes to delay Roland’s scheme until help arrives to come rescue you.”

All Rosa could do was sob into the doll’s chest, allowing Sebastian to gently stroke her long black hair until she started to calm down. She didn’t want to be so far away from her family, she didn’t want to be forced to marry someone she couldn’t bring herself to love. She just wanted to be back in Thornsborough, seeing Mint off on his adventure as nothing had happened between them.

As her thoughts turned to Mint, she started to wonder if he hated her for trying to turn their relationship into something more. To how hurt he looked after she kissed him. Did she really cross a line there? Had she been so blindly in love with him, that she didn’t stop to think how he might have felt?

No, she didn’t think. She just wanted to show Mint how much she cared for him without once thinking that maybe, just maybe he didn’t want to pursue a deeper relationship. And when he said he just wanted to be friends, she was hurt and felt rejected. In hindsight, she was stupid to run off like she did, stupid to let herself get enchanted by Roland. She should have stayed in town instead of running into the woods, should have talked to her parents instead of going off alone.

And now here she was, in the clutches of someone who planned to marry her against her will while also potentially doing something to make Mint suffer. She was bait for her friend, and while she hoped to be rescued, she also hoped that Mint would be wise enough to stay back and let someone else come get her. Sure, she could probably use her own strength to fight back, but what good was the strength needed to break bones against someone who could use magic?

Rosa sniffed a bit as she started to relax into the doll’s hug, tears still rolling down her cheeks as she tried to stop her sobbing. Sure, she started to feel a little better at the moment, but there was still a thought that scared her.

“Where is Roland now?” she asked once she was able to find her words, pulling away from the doll that had done his best to comfort her.

“He is away from the Manor at the moment, searching for a priest to marry you both,” Sebastian said, causing the wolf girl to look at him in bewilderment.

“Can’t you help me sneak away?” she then asked, only for the horned doll to shake his head.

“I’m sorry, but if you were enchanted when you were brought here, then Roland may have placed another spell on you to prevent you from leaving until his return.”

Rosa felt her ears pointed ears droop slightly as her tail hung limply behind her. She had to admit, she didn’t even think about that scenario, and if it was true, then she was indeed truly trapped in the manor.

Sebastian must have seen the dejected look on her face as he soon spoke again, trying to cheer her up, “I’m sure there is a rescue party on its way to the manor to come save you, and I and the other dolls here will do everything in our power to delay the ceremony as much as possible.”

Rosa was surprised by this, sure, she recalled that the dolls were kind to their guests, but going so far as to try and delay an unwanted wedding? That took courage in her opinion, and considering her situation, Rosa probably needed all the courage she could muster.

“Thank you, Sebastian,” Rosa then said with a small smile, and hugged the tall doll again.

“You’re very welcome, Miss Cortez,” the butler then said as he hugged her back for a moment, “I’ll be sure to send our softest dolls to help keep you company- it seems like you need something to cuddle after your recent panic attack, but for now, I must return to my duties- the dolls in this room will do their best to keep you safe.”

And with that, the horned doll left, leaving Rosa alone with her thoughts, and the porcelain dolls scattered about the room to act as her maids and bodyguards against Roland.

~0~

Later in the day, Rosa was laying on the bed after lunch, cuddling with a giant beast of a doll that resembled a cross between a bison and a brown bear. It was kind of cute, in an odd way, but as the old doll curled up around Rosa to keep her safe from any intruders, the wolf girl was about to fall asleep for a nap when she heard the door open and smelled a strangely familiar scent. With her eyes closed, the memory of when she was kidnapped came back to her, the mysterious voice that enchanted her, the arms she felt wrapped around her body, and this scent.

She kept her eyes closed, pretending to be asleep as she felt the doll protecting her curl closer around her body. She heard the stranger in her room step closer to the bed, could smell the scent of someone who had been in the woods for a while, and had only just now bathed become stronger as well. 

Then, she felt a rough kiss on her lips, before she heard that damn voice again.

“I know you’re awake, Dear Rosa,” he said, forcing Rosa to open her eyes as she glared at her kidnapper.

He was only a year older than her, or so it seemed, and he had long dark blonde hair tied back into a high ponytail to keep it out of his tanned face. He wore an expensive looking red waistcoat with gold brocade on it, as well as orange pants and a cream-colored shirt. His shoes were a polished black pair of tall boots, and he had a playful smile on his lips as he stared at Rosa a little hungrily. However, as Rosa continued to glare at her captor, she noticed that the most striking feature about him was his pink eyes. There was something unnatural about them, but what it was, she wasn’t exactly sure.

And in all honesty, she didn’t want to find out, either.

“Ah,” he then said with a smile as he cupped Rosa’s chin in his hand while she growled at him, “My lovely Rosa, why are you so angry with me? I thought you would be happy to be away from that awful Mint who broke your heart.”

“You used magic on me, to force me to consent to this,” Rosa then said, while Roland pulled away to feign shock at this accusation.

“But, my dear, I was only helping you realize your true feelings!” he said, before laughing, “After all, I love you more than he ever could.”

Rosa remained on her bed, keeping up her glare at her kidnapper as she answered with, “What could you possibly know about love?”

“I know that ever since I saw you two years ago, I”ve felt this…  _ warmth  _ in my body. A feeling of longing, of wanting you to be by my side as my bride. However, you were foolishly holding a torch for that shapeshifter, until he broke your heart at the Dragon Festival, and so after two years of watching over you, my dear, I decided to take my chance.”

“Two years?” Rosa said in confusion, “What are you talking about? I never saw you once in my life!”

“Ah, that’s because I’ve been hiding in the woods for two years, spying on Mint for my Mistress,” Roland said with a dramatic sigh as he spread out his arms, “Honestly, as much as I wanted to stay in town and get to know you personally, I just couldn’t let my intentions be known… well, until now that is.”

“What are you talking about now!?” Rosa snapped, growling as she realized that she may be in much more danger than she realized, only for Roland to hold up a finger and wag it a bit as he clicked his tongue.

“Now, now, my dear, you mustn’t shout at your future husband,” he said as if this was all some sort of joke, “I admit, I was originally sent to torment Mint and his mother, but I was so focused on you that I forgot my plan for two years. So, when you ran into the woods after your heartbreak, I decided to enchant you so we could run away together while I left behind a note to your parents saying what I wanted for your safe return- the head of Mint Wood.”

“What!?” Rosa said, “But… shapeshifters like Mint don’t leave behind a corpse when they die!”

“Ex-act-ly!~” Roland said, “With this impossible task, I knew that I’d be able to keep you as my bride, and after I know Mint has suffered enough, I’ll kill him to get to his father, Koichi for my Mistress. Then, once my mission is complete, I’ll marry you and we’ll have a wonderful family together!”

Roland laughed then, as though he thought this whole situation was going to turn into some sort of joke between them later in life. While Rosa didn’t find anything funny about this, she still held out hope that she would find a way out of this mess.

“And what about a rescue party?” Rosa then said, “I don’t know why you want Mister Kuro to suffer, but I do know my parents won’t take my kidnapping lying down!”

“Ah, my dear Rosa, that is where you are wrong,” Roland said with a smirk, “What sort of son-in-law would I be if I didn’t research my bride’s family? I know for a fact that your father was badly injured years ago by a rabid cat, and after two years of learning all I could about you, I think I know about your family as well.”

“Y-You can’t possibly know that much after two years!” Rosa said, quite disturbed by Roland’s persistence in the role of her fiance.

“Ah, is this a test?” Roland then asked smugly, “Well then, I see I must prove myself for my beloved! I know that your mother is the town gossip and is able to shoot a bullseye twenty-seven times before her aim fails her with her crossbow, and your father is ferocious whether he’s using his hammer or his fists. Both of them would be dangerous to fight in their prime, but due to that injury of your father’s he can’t overexert himself.”

“My parents are willing to sacrifice themselves if it means I’m home safely,” Rosa said, only for Roland to click his tongue again and smirk. Oh, how she wanted to punch his face in right now!”

“I checked with my magic before coming to the room, my dear,” he said, “And it seems that your friend Mint is bringing a party along to rescue you- while your parents stay home.”

“Mint’s a good fighter,” Rosa then said, “He’ll make sure you won’t get away with this, and neither will I!”

“And what will you do to stop me?” Roland then asked, only to receive a punch in the stomach from Rosa, which also sent him flying out the door.

“I am a Cortez,” Rosa growled as she felt herself enter Feral Mode, her arms and legs gaining black fur and claws as her shoes ripped apart. Her fangs became more prominent as well as she felt stronger than normal, and as she walked closer to Roland, she continued to speak, “My father was suckled on giant’s milk, and I inherited that strength from him.”

She prepared to attack as Roland seemed stunned, intending to knock him out and attempt to run from the manor as she spied Sebastian at the door, watching as Roland picked himself up. With the speed of a wolf, Rosa lunged for Roland, using her claws to rip apart his waistcoat and shirt, drawing blood before she was blown back by a gust of wind.

“My, my,” he then said as he dusted himself off, before checking his wound, before Rosa watched it heal before her eyes, “My dear Rosa, you’ve certainly got a wild side to you… I can’t wait to experience it after our wedding.”

Rosa merely growled, her tail bristling with rage as Roland laughed at the wolf before him.

“Well, I would love to talk more, my dear, but I have preparations to make, so be a good girl and  _ go back to sleep. _ ”

Rosa realized that he had cast a spell too late as she struggled to stay awake, fighting against the magic used on her, but she could feel her claws fade back to normal as she started to feel drowsy.

“I…. hate you…” Rosa said before all around her faded to darkness.

~0~

Roland looked down at his beautiful wolf as she slept thanks to his magic. While it was difficult to learn how to cast spells without using a specific spell, he had to admit it had its advantages as his Mistress pointed out. Advantages such as putting people under enchantment, for example, and healing without even having to waste a breath on a spell. It was certainly good to have in a life and death situation, after all.

As he looked down at his nice clothes, he sighed and waved his hand to repair them with magic, before noticing that the sleeves of his beloved’s dress were torn. 

“Repra,” he said, and with that spell, repaired the torn sleeves and destroyed shoes- it wouldn’t do if his beloved’s clothes and shoes were tattered, even if she was a wolf. Of course, he never understood why his Mistress hated wolves but ever since he came under her wing to learn magic, she had always preached on the evil of wolves, especially those wolves in the Lupo Family of Ringaia. Still, while Rosa’s mother was one of the Lupos that his Mistress so hated, Roland found himself still caring for Rosa.

Even though her words before she fell back asleep hurt him, he couldn’t bring himself to harm his beloved. Sure, he could have used a love potion to make her love him, but he had seen first hand the results of that idea, and he hated the idea of Rosa forgetting her love for everyone else just to love him. In fact, if he did use the potion, then his beloved would practically lose everything he’d fallen in love with over the past two years, her kind heart, her personality, even the little things would be lost if she became obsessed with him.

The idea of doing that to Rosa hurt more than the injury he received from her claws.

As he looked down at the sleeping Rosa, he felt that warmth in his heart once more, the feeling that first struck him the first time he laid eyes on her when she was visiting Mint. Sure, he was supposed to torment the shapeshifter and his family to get to Koichi Kuro, but the moment he saw Rosa, that warmth in his heart made him forget his schemes. His Mistress never told him about love, and how powerful it could be, and he wanted to earn Rosa’s love no matter what, even if it meant destroying the man she loved.

What did she even see in Mint, anyway? He viewed her as a sister after all, and he didn’t even need to use Magic to make Mint to say what he did at the festival, and now his target was coming to him.

He wouldn’t let Mint win.

Roland then moved to pick Rosa up, planning to kiss her once again, however the moment he moved towards her, he felt a cold hand on his wrist. Looking up, he saw Sebastian’s expressionless face stare at him, sending chills down Roland’s spine. He always wondered why he couldn’t enchant the dolls of the manor or even Madame Lulia with his magic, and whenever he looked at Madame Lulia herself, he felt that she was something ancient, despite the manor itself being only twenty years old, and that he always got the feeling he shouldn’t mess with her or else suffer the consequences.

In all honesty, he was starting to feel afraid of the dolls at the manor.

“Ah, Mister Dearheart, you’ve finally returned,” the horned doll then said as he started to drag Roland away, “If you plan to have a wedding here at the Manor, then we must make sure that everything is in order- you have decided upon guests, decorations and flower arrangements, haven’t you? Not to mention we have a rule here at the manor, that the groom cannot see the bride before the day of the wedding itself.”

“Right…” Roland said as he let the doll drag him out of the room, while the bear-bison that Rosa had been cuddling with when he came in decided to get up and shut the door behind them.

Still, he did not want to upset Madame Lulia, especially since whatever was off about the woman scared him most.

~0~

Mint Wood stared out in the distance as he and the others started setting up camp for the evening. In the distance, he could see the Doll Manor- a tall pale pink and white building overlooking a field of flowers. While the view was lovely to the shapeshifter, he also knew that it would be a couple of days yet before he and his companions would arrive to rescue Rosa.

Rosa. Mint couldn’t stop thinking that her situation was all his fault. He should have been more observant about what she was feeling towards him, should have told her earlier that he didn’t want to be anything more than friends with her. And yet, he was clueless the whole time and he ended up failing to protect his best friend.

He should have gone after her, should have talked things out with her and seen her home. He felt like he could have prevented all of this, and yet he foolishly went to check on Polly instead when she and Crandall had another fight.

Why did he go check on Polly instead of Rosa? He just couldn’t figure it out. Sure, Polly wasn’t like any girl he’d met before in his life in Thornsborough, not even his godsister Snow was like Polly, and he rarely saw her due to her living in White Mountain.

And here Polly was, helping Mint save his best friend instead of pursuing the quest his thrice-great-grandfather had given her. 

“Something on your mind?” Steel Finch then said, causing Mint to look at the wizard and sigh.

“Just thinking of how big of an idiot I was at the Dragon Festival,” Mint said, “Are girls always so… complicated?”

“Yeah,” Steel said with a nod, “But in all honesty, that’s what makes it worth it in the end, if we had simple women, it’d be pretty boring, but then again, people are people no matter what they are- and honestly? We’re all a complicated mess.”

Steel then took a swig from his flask, letting Mint take a moment to think about his words before he looked back at the manor in the distance, a sinking feeling in his stomach as he wondered just what waited for them once they arrived.

“Don’t worry, Rosa” he whispered, “We’ll be there soon…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this chapter was a bit hard to write- from Rosa's panic attack to Roland's perspective later in the chapter. But in either case, we finally meet Rosa's kidnapper as well as see what it's like in the Doll Manor.
> 
> Also yes, Sebastian the doll is named after Sebastian Michaelis from Black Butler. No, there's no Ciel doll anywhere in the manor. 
> 
> Also, the Bison-Bear doll is named Adam, that's probably not going to come up in the story itself, I just wanted to name the doll. Adam the bison-bear was also the first doll made by Lulia, so he's kind of Sebastian's older brother, I guess? Oh, and he's head of the Manor's Cuddle Squad, which are dolls sent out to give comfort to visitors having a rough day. 
> 
> So yeah... now onto Roland- he's a creep, but a creep with standards. I actually had to take a shower while writing his part just to feel less skeevy while writing, which somehow led to Roland getting some standards despite being a kidnapping stalker.
> 
> Anyway, next time our heroes and villain meet...


	11. Wedding Crashers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The time has come to rescue Rosa, but the battle will not be easy...

It had been a long few days since their journey started. A long few days of threatless travels as they finally arrived at their destination. As Mint, Polly, Crandall, and Steel looked up at the manor topping the flowery hill they arrived at, the group saw that the pale pink and white building looked rather welcoming, though there was also a trail leading from the wrought iron gate in front of them that was lined with red ribbons and red and white roses as various dolls- some human-looking others more beastly went about decorating the cobblestone path leading up to the manor itself.

“I wonder what’s going on?” Polly asked while Crandall looked uneasy as he watched the dolls go about their work.

“I’m not sure,” Mint said, while Steel merely took another swig from his flask before replacing it on his hip.

“Looks like a celebration of some type,” the wizard said cooly, before heading towards the gate with the clockwork horses and whistling to get the attention of the closest doll. The doll in question was dressed as a gardener with a straw hat, a simple white shirt with a brown leather vest and loose legged pants. As the doll looked up at the whistling wizard, his glassy yellow eyes seemed to scan the group before locking eyes with Steel, and after a tilt of his head walked over to them and surprisingly spoke.

“Oh, are you looking to become guests of the Manor?” he asked, and the teens decided to let Steel do all the talking for now.

“Yeah, though it looks like you’re preparing for something,” the wizard then said, “Mind explaining what’s going on?”

“Oh, we’re preparing for a wedding between two guests,” the doll then said before opening the gate, “We were told to welcome a potential guest named Mint Wood and his three comrades, but the groom didn’t give us a description to work from, so Sebastian just told us to let in anyone in a party of four that arrives.”

“I see,” Steel said, before looking back at his three companions, “Well, there’s four of us and two clockwork horses, might as well see what’s going on while we’re here.”

“Very well, just follow the path to the door, I’m sure Sebastian is waiting for you,” the doll then said, and allowed the group to enter the Manor Grounds, before closing the gate and returning to the ornate stone flower pot he was busy tying a red ribbon around.

As the group entered the grounds and walked up the path, all seemed rather silent as Mint’s thoughts turned towards what the doll had said. A wedding? Between whom? As he thought about it, he honestly didn’t know who all was staying at the Manor, but as he realized that the groom had wanted him there, Mint felt a burning hatred in his heart as the answer came to mind.

This monster was going to force his best friend to marry them!

Mint couldn’t allow this to happen. He shouldn’t have let this happen in the first place. He should have gone after his friend, then maybe he could have prevented her kidnapping.

When he looked over at Polly and Crandall, all he could see was an uneasy look on their faces. Whether it was the dolls moving on their own and watching them, or the fact that things had been a bit too easy thus far, he couldn’t tell. 

As they walked up the winding path to the Manor, he felt Polly squeeze his hand as she walked next to him. To him, Polly was someone who had quickly become his new friend. He found her to be kind, clever, and courageous based on what she told him about herself, while he also saw her as being a little headstrong as well, not to mention her temper! As Mint thought more about his friend, he couldn’t help but squeeze her hand back, realizing that while he was uncomfortable with her touching him at first, he had quickly grown used to her touch. Normally, he’d honor his father’s customs about social interaction and how touching and other public displays of affections were considered to be rude, as far as he knew. Yet, with Polly, he didn’t find it rude at all, in fact, lately, whenever he touched Polly, he felt a warmth in his heart.

Honestly, he didn’t know what it meant.

When the group reached the gigantic mahogany doors that acted as the entrance into the Manor proper, Mint took in the intricate carvings on them- ranging from various birds such as sparrows and eagles to simple beasts such as foxes and rabbits. All in all, they were beautiful and the craftsmanship was of an expert level at least, in his opinion. Most noticeable were the bronze knockers on the door that were shaped to resemble a pair of oxen. As Steel still held the horses' reins, Mint watched as Crandall stepped up to lift the heavy knockers and bang them against the door.

It didn’t take long before the doors opened, revealing a doll with black hair and red lacquered horns on the other side, his blue eyes staring at the party for a moment before he took a bow.

“Welcome to the Doll Manor,” the doll then said politely, “I am Sebastian, the head butler of the Manor, a pleasure to make your acquaintance Sirs and Miss.”

“It’s nice to meet you too, Sebastian!” Polly then said, before the doll smiled at the girl and looked directly at Mint. 

“Might I ask if there is a Mint Wood among you?” he said, causing Mint to reveal himself.

“That would be me, sir,” the tall teen said sheepishly, “One of the dolls mentioned my name when we arrived, might I ask what exactly is going on here that would require my presence as a guest?”

The doll said nothing at first, merely scanning Mint and the others for a moment before he started to wring his clawed hands while a frown appeared on his ceramic face.

“It seems,” he then said, “That while a wedding is to be performed today, the Bride and Groom both have different stories about what is going on today. The Groom, Mister Roland Dearheart claims that he and Miss Rosa Cortez are deeply in love and wish to elope, however, the Bride, Miss Cortez claims that she was kidnapped by the Groom after having her heart broken by Mint Wood. However, since the Groom plans to have you here, Mister Wood, I believe you can help us settle who is telling the truth once and for all… after all, I do have my suspicions about Mister Dearheart’s honesty and intentions toward Miss Cortez.”

So, Rosa really was here, Mint then thought, and it seemed that she was in deep trouble as well. Still, he and his comrades also gained a serious look on their faces as they all realized the same thing. 

This was a trap for Mint.

“Rosa is telling the truth,” Mint said with a sigh, “I was the one who stupidly broke her heart, and I was foolish enough not to go after her when she ran off. The next morning, as I was leaving town with my friends, Rosa’s mother came to us and told us she had gotten a ransom note, the kidnapper wanting my head in exchange for Rosa.”

“I see,” Sebastian said after he heard the story, before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a paper soldier, “Remi, go inform Mother Lulia about the situation at hand, I shall lead our guests to the venue to wait for the Groom as per Mister Dearheart’s instructions.”

“Why can’t you take us directly to Rosa?” Crandall said, causing Sebastian to pause before he clenched his clawed hand into a fist.

“Because unfortunately, Sir, Mister Dearheart has threatened Mother Lulia, and we dolls are forced to play along with his game for now.

No one said a word at this, and all Mint and his comrades could do were let two servants take the horses from Steel Finch to lead them to a stable, while the four guests entered the Manor proper, all four prepared to fight for Rosa’s safety from the monster who set up this cruel mockery of a celebration.

~0~

Rosa Cortez was not having a good day. Not only was she being forced to marry her kidnapper, but Madame Lulia had also been threatened into having her dolls help with the ceremony whether she wanted to or not! Not to mention she was now sitting in a chair wearing a corset and bloomers as Madame Lulia herself was overseeing the preparations for the unwilling bride.

“I wish your plan to substitute me with a doll hadn’t been discovered,” Rosa lamented as she looked at her reflection in the mirror, while Madame Lulia combed her long black hair. 

Madame Lulia was a beautiful looking doll made of bisque, her pale face accented by her deep blue eyes and short black hair that went down to her chin. She wore a dark green gown with long sleeves and skirt that was accented with white lace around the tall collar surrounding her neck, and also on the ends of her sleeves. While Rosa knew that this, combined with the gloves she wore was to do everything she could to hide the fact she was really a ball-jointed doll, the wolf girl also couldn’t help but wonder if there was a deeper reason for the modest clothing.

“As do I, Rosa,” Madame Lulia then said quietly as she used her fingers to deftly style Rosa’s hair into a curled up-do, “However, it seems that your kidnapper is much smarter than I thought…”

“I know…” Rosa said with a sigh, “I’m too young to be married, we both are, but he seems to think that it would be perfect for us to elope after he kills Mint.”

“He’s a monster,” Madame Lulia then said, placing a beautiful butterfly themed comb in Rosa’s hair to keep it in place. 

It was at that moment, that a paper doll slid under the door to the room, before standing at full attention like a soldier properly should. As Madame Lulia stopped her work on Rosa, she walked over to the tiny paper doll and carefully picked him up, before she spoke to him.

“Do you have a message for me?” she said, followed by the paper soldier nodding before he spoke.

“Private Remi reporting for Colonel Sebastian, Mother Lulia!” Remi then said with a salute, “It seems that Miss Cortez’s friend Mint has arrived at the Manor with three others with the intent to rescue our unwilling bride from her kidnapper.”

“So, they’ve confirmed Rosa’s tale?” Madame Lulia asked, earning a nod from Remi as the paper soldier soon stood at attention again. 

“Yes Ma’am!” Remi then said while Rosa sighed as she looked towards the window.

“I’m afraid that Mint might have arrived too late,” the wolf girl then said as her gaze shifted towards the gown in the corner. It was a beautiful pale blue gown with a ruffled skirt and a long train that was embroidered with silver thorny vines. The bodice of the dress was also embroidered with the silver vines and deep blue roses. Though it probably would have made for a gorgeous wedding gown for another bride, for Rosa the gown she was to wear felt as horrid to her as if she was forced to wear the garb of a prisoner in a dungeon.

What was worse was that to her, she felt she couldn’t escape Roland due to how powerful a magician he was, despite him being only a year older than her. Sure, he seemed to be handsome and insisted he wanted to earn her love, but she felt that she could never love anyone who committed murder and forced her into a marriage she didn’t want.

“There may still be hope, Rosa,” Madame Lulia then said as she helped Rosa into the wedding dress, “Roland could be stopped by your friend and his allies.”

“I honestly don’t know if he can be stopped…” Rosa said sadly before feeling tears roll down her cheeks. All Madame Lulia could do was take a handkerchief and dry the wolf girl’s eyes before she laced up the back of the bodice. For Rosa, this might as well be the end, and if Roland succeeded in his plan to murder her best friend, she wouldn’t let him get away with it. 

She had claws and fangs, and if she had to, she would use them to end either his life or her own. 

Once Rosa was in her dress and a veil placed on her head, the door to her room opened up, revealing a doll with red hair dressed as a maid. Rosa knew what this meant and in silence followed the maid to the venue where she knew things would change forever.

Even if she was the one to change it.

~0~

Father Milo Williams was a middle-aged, balding man who was a little chubby. He enjoyed his wine and the god he worshipped, and as he awoke to find himself in a manor, he wondered briefly if he had a bit too much wine to drink.

Then, he remembered. How he was preparing to officiate a wedding in his church to Perrault, the God of Love. How he was met with a young man he hadn’t seen in seven years, Roland Dearheart before the young man had used magic to bewitch him and spirit him away.

As he sat alone in his chambers, the priest in a tan coat over a white shirt and a blue scarf was beside himself. Last he heard of Roland, his sister was forced to marry an ogre, the poor girl being forced to drink a love potion so she wouldn’t be able to leave her husband. He recalled Roland, at age ten coming to him one night covered in blood, and how he confessed how he tried to save Melissa from her husband, only for her to not recognize her own brother after the deed was done. It was a sad fate for Melissa Dearheart, to no longer remember who else she loved, and as far as he knew, she still visited her husband’s grave thanks to the love potion she was forced to drink.

But, to learn that Roland, who disappeared after his confession had become a handsome young man was relaxing…until he learned that Roland had also been forced to kill under a geas as he had confessed to Father Williams when they met again. All for his “Mistress” whoever she was.

Personally, he felt that this Mistress was a horrible influence on a musician who had a good future taken away from him.

Still, he was saddened by the fact that Roland had become an assassin at such a young age, and one skilled with magic to boot, as he realized that the young man had enchanted the priest to come with him and officiate his own wedding- and that it was a trap to lure an innocent boy to his demise.

It was then that the door opened and he saw Roland enter the room. The young man had certainly let his hair grow out in the past seven years, the wavy dark blonde hair was currently tied back with a bright red ribbon, while he wore a princely red coat over a white waistcoat and black pants to go with his polished black boots. Combined with the golden amulet around his neck, and the matching circlet on his head, he looked very much like royalty.

“Roland,” Father Williams then said in worry, “You don’t have to do this, you can let them go.”

“Father Williams,” Roland said, looking hurt, “I would if I could but… I’ve fought against this geas for two years already because of my beloved Rosa… and it’s only getting stronger.”

“Can’t you keep fighting?” Father Williams pleaded, “Surely there’s a way to break a geas!”

“I can’t!” Roland said, clutching his head, “It hurts too much… and if I don’t kill Mint like my Mistress wanted, I will be the one to die in his place!”

“And Rosa? What of her?” Father Williams then said bitterly, “Do you really wish to have her suffer? Do you really wish to take away someone she considers a friend?”

“As I said before, Father Williams,” Roland said sadly, “I don’t have a choice. If things were different, I’d let Mint live, I’d try and court Rosa properly… but I can’t. I just can’t! My Mistress is too strong a witch! I have no choice anymore, Father Williams. I’m just a puppet now, have been for seven years... My only option is to run off with Rosa after I take care of this final job. I’ll try and earn her love after this, I don’t care that she hates me, I… I just want to be with her. I… I just want to be happy with Rosa, to make her happy in return.”

“But will you do to her what that ogre did to Melissa?” Father Williams then asked, causing Roland to freeze with a look of horror on his face.

“Oh, gods… am… am I really?” he said more to himself, “No, I don’t want to sink that low… not after what happened to Melissa.”

“There’s still time to stop this,” Father Williams then said, only for Roland to say nothing as he kept his back turned to the priest, “Please Roland, don’t make me and Rosa do this ceremony if it will end in death.”

“I’m sorry… but I can’t.” Roland said quietly as he headed towards the door. “It’s already time to start the ceremony. The target has arrived and will most likely put up a fight to save his friend. It’s too late for me, Father Williams… The geas I’m under is forcing me to do this… it hurts so much to fight against it now…”

“Roland…” was all Father Williams could say as he watched Roland leave the room. All he could think about was to wonder just what sort of hell awaited Roland for when he failed, whether with this task or the next. Was it truly the geas forcing him to do these vile acts? Or had his soul found some twisted form of serenity and he just used the geas he claimed he was under as a scapegoat?

Time would tell the truth, that was all the priest could conclude.

~0~

To Polly, the Doll Manor was impressive to behold. From the intricate details, she could spy in the decorations to the beautiful paintings lining the walls of landscapes and people, it was clear that the place was well off. Not to mention that the dolls that inhabited the manor seemed to be very well made. While it was a little creepy at first to see the dolls moving on their own, Polly simply accepted the strangeness of it all as part of the manor’s charm. However, Polly and her companions also knew that if they were to save Rosa, there would also most likely be a battle, and so she had already put on her black armor while Sebastian led them to the wedding venue. She was thankful that the magic armor was so easy to put on and take off, as she felt that if it worked like normal armor, she’d probably be in trouble if she was caught without it on when she needed it.

As she looked towards her comrades, she saw Mint place a hand on the handle of the mithril sword he had gotten from his father while a stern look appeared on his face. Steel had taken another swig from his hip flask, and she briefly wondered how it hadn’t run out yet before settling on the idea of magic being involved. Finally, Crandall was cracking his gloved fists, clearly ready to fight judging by the serious scowl on his face.

All in all, all four of them were expecting a fight, as were the dolls of the manor as some of them were readying spears, swords, and other weapons in case of trouble- either they didn’t like the groom or something else was going on, Polly didn’t really know.

Soon, they arrived at the wedding venue, a theatre in the west wing of the manor with a proscenium stage decorated with an altar and flowers for the bride and groom. The seats were all empty, and red ribbons lined the ends of each row.

“The wedding is in a theatre?” Polly then asked while Sebastian turned and nodded.

“Yes, this theatre is where we dolls perform plays for our guests, or for ourselves when we are bored.” Sebastian said, “Mister Dearheart insisted on holding the wedding here, though he did not say why. I assume it’s because he wants to set the stage for his victory in a quite literal sense.”

“He’d make a great supervillain, that’s for sure,” Crandall said dryly as the group was led to the stage by Sebastian.

“That may be true,” Mint said, “But I intend to stop this wedding and save Rosa. I... I want to apologize for what happened at the Dragon Festival.”

Before anyone could say anything, the doors opened once again, revealing a figure in princely attire about a year older than Polly. To Polly, he was alright to look at, with his caramel-colored hair, but his bright pink eyes made her feel uneasy as she looked at him as he walked towards them like he owned the place, boots muffled on the carpet of the theatre. Once he reached the group, he took an exaggerated bow and smirked.

“Ah Mint, so glad you and your friends could come!” he said amicably, “I’m sure Rosa would be happy to see you before the wedding begins!”

No one said a word as the kidnapper acted like he was a friend to Mint, which was a bit unnerving. However, as Roland locked eyes with Steel, Polly noticed the wizard glare at the kidnapper, before he finally spoke.

“You twisted little fucker,” Steel said then, “You really think you’re going to get away with this?”

“Of course I do,” Roland said with a smile, “And my Mistress has told me all about you, Steel Finch, I honestly didn’t expect you to come here at all. Though, since I’ve been working on a spell to try and get rid of you in case you become my next target, I might as well try it out now.”

“What?” Steel said in surprise only to watch as Roland merely snapped his fingers, followed by an audible crack as Steel soon fell to the floor.

“Mister Finch!” Mint cried out while Polly stared in shock, followed by Crandall kneeling down to check the wizard’s pulse.

“Great Scott…” Dyna Lad then said as his eyes were wide in shock, “He’s… he’s dead…”

“You monster!” Mint shouted, drawing his sword as Crandall got up and readied his fists for battle.

“Now, now,” Roland said as the doors opened up behind him, revealing a doll maid and Rosa entering the room, the train of her wedding gown being held up by two small dolls, “I just want to make sure you three behave for the ceremony, after the wedding, we can have our little duel, Minty.”

“Mint!” Rosa cried out and was about to run towards him when she was suddenly surrounded by a forcefield, most likely created by the wicked groom to keep her from becoming a target.

“Rosa!” Mint cried back as he saw his friend, “Don’t worry, we’ll do our best to save you!”

“Oh please,” Roland then said, before flicking his hand and sending Sebastian into one of the chairs and using magic to bind him in place, “Who’s going to save you from what I have in store?”

Polly watched as Mint and Crandall charged at Roland, the shock of her mentor in magic dying so suddenly wearing off as she readied herself to fight as well. Now wasn’t the time to be a coward, she had to be brave. Reaching for the sword at her side, she was about to run in and help the boys, only to freeze again as she saw Roland wave his hand and stop them both in their tracks. Then, she saw Mint become surrounded by a black bubble while Crandall struggled to move his body.

“Now then, I had it all figured out, before you ruined the mood,” Roland then said snapping his fingers once again as the magic bubble surrounding Mint activated, causing Mint to scream as if he was being tortured inside of it. Polly ran towards the bubble, thinking she could pop it with her sword, only to freeze as she saw Crandall be lifted up into the air, his hands at his throat as he was being forced to strangle himself like some sort of twisted puppet.

This was wrong. This shouldn’t be happening. They should be able to fight together as a team, not have this happen.

Polly didn't know what to do as Roland laughed at the situation.

_ Hey, I know things look bad right now, but you need to focus, kid!  _ A strong male voice then said in Polly’s mind, confusing her for a moment. However, the voice was right, she needed to focus on the battle at hand, and readied her sword, getting Roland’s attention.

“Oh? And what are you going to do, girlie?” he said with a mocking gleam in his eyes, “Stab me with your dinky little rapier?”

Polly didn’t say a word as she glared at Roland, all while the voice she heard continued to speak.

_ Alright, so here’s what you need to do, _ the voice then said,  _ Just take a deep breath, hold it for a moment, and then blow. _

Polly did as the voice said, closing her eyes for a moment as she collected herself, clearing her mind as she prepared for battle. She felt a warmth flow through her body as she opened her grey eyes, locking them into a glare towards Roland as she silently took a deep breath.

“What’s the matter?” Roland then said with a smirk, “Think you can take me on all by yourself?”

_ Now, blow with all your might! _

Polly said nothing, taking the signal to act as she followed the voice’s instructions, and blew out her breath. What she didn’t expect was for a runic circle of orange light to appear in front of her mouth, turning her breath into flames as she aimed at Roland. The blond young man screamed in pain as the fire burned his clothes and hair, breaking his concentration as Crandall and Mint were released from his spells.

Polly however, started to panic. Heroes weren’t supposed to kill, and she didn’t want a death on her hands. She decided to stop the fire breath and run over to Roland, planning to use her only spell to try and save him.

_ “Heyal!” _ she cried out, letting the healing magic flow through her hands as Mint and Crandall ran to her side. However, while partially healed as the flames extinguished, Roland pulled out a knife and tried to stab Polly, only for Crandall and Mint to punch the monster away from her. As Roland hit the curtained wall, he stood up and growled, before throwing the knife he held right at Polly’s helmeted head. As Polly braced herself for impact, she found that it wouldn’t come as she reopened her eyes to see a shining golden shield in front of the three teenagers, causing them to look behind them and see Steel Finch standing up and glaring at the failed murderer.

“Nice try, Fucker,” Steel then said, before pointing up towards the ceiling as the shield turned into numerous shining arrows. Then, he pointed directly at Roland, causing the arrows to fly towards their target and skewer him.

That was the last thing Polly saw as the shock got to her again, and all went dark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this is the chapter where Roland finally dies. I've been waiting for this chapter for a while now, and I'm glad I finally got to have it happen!
> 
> However, we also get a bit of backstory for Roland- how his sister was basically turned into a love-fueled zombie by an ogre, how he killed the ogre but also got caught up with his mysterious Mistress. The whole ogre thing kind of led to him being wholly against love potions.
> 
> Also, all those Geas he was put under may have driven him crazy as well, so there's that.
> 
> Anywho, Polly learns how to breathe fire from a mysterious voice, while Steel has some explaining to do since he just came back from the dead!
> 
> But yeah, ROLAND IS DEAD NOW LET'S CELEBRATE!


	12. Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the battle against Roland finally over, it's time to wrap some things up, and open the door to the next part of the adventure...

Rosa couldn’t believe it.

She had seen the battle unfold, watched as Roland died thanks to Mister Finch’s magic, and yet this still felt like a dream! She was afraid to close her eyes, just in case she woke up back in her room to find Roland alive and looming over her. But, as she saw Mint run over to her after Polly passed out, she felt a strange weight lift off her shoulders as the forcefield that had surrounded her melted away. She soon felt Mint’s arms around her, drawing her out of her shock, the shapeshifter mumbling an apology into her ear as he held her tight.

“Rosa, I’m so sorry,” he mumbled, “I should have gone after you when you ran, then maybe I could have prevented your kidnapping!”

“It’s… it’s alright,” she whispered back, tears rolling down her cheeks as she found her voice again and returned Mint’s hug. “Neither of us knew this would happen, neither of us knew how my confession would have turned out.”

“Still… I feel like it’s my fault this happened to you,” Mint said, his voice cracking slightly as Rosa realized just how much he cared for her, and how much she had him worried about her safety. She felt a tear hit the top of her head, followed by her ears picking up the sounds of Crandall panicking as he checked on Polly as she and Mint remained silent, mainly because she had no idea what to say.

“Polly!” Crandall said, the redhead trying to shake the armored girl awake as Rosa opened her eyes to see the redhead hold Polly in his arms, the girl still unconscious.

“Relax,” Steel said, who was standing over the kneeling teen, taking a swig from his flask as Sebastian stood up and straightened his coat before moving over to Polly, “She only fainted, not the first time I’d seen someone doing that around me.”

“How can you be so calm!?” Crandall then snapped, “She could be hurt, hell she hit the floor pretty hard, what if her helmet failed to prevent a concussion or something!?”

Steel merely bent down and flicked Crandall’s forehead, before he spoke again.

“Crandall, I know you’re worried but that armor’s pretty strong, and from what I’ve read, if that armor can resist being dented by a ballista, then she’ll be fine.”

“What kind of books have you been reading?” Crandall asked before something, “And how the Hell are you alive!? Last I checked, you were dead as a doornail!”

“I’ll tell you later,” Steel then said, before he took another long swig from his flask before putting it back on his hip. Rosa and Mint stared at the scene as Sebastian silently lifted Polly out of Crandall’s arms and started to carry her out of the room. Of course, in a blink, Crandall was soon back in front of the horned doll, barring his path as he spoke a simple question.

“Where are you taking her!?” 

The doll merely stared blankly at the teen in front of him, before his expression became one of annoyance as he answered with, “I’m taking Miss Andrews to a guest room so that she may recover comfortably. Not to mention, I need to inform Mother Lulia of Roland’s death, and arrange a carriage to take Father Williams back to White Mountain.”

“Right…” Crandall said, stepping aside to let the doll pass by. Though, as Sebastian moved closer to Rosa and Mint, he soon stopped again before he looked to Rosa and smiled.

“I’m sorry that your stay was so stressful Miss Cortez, but I do hope you find it in yourself to return in the future,” he said, while Mint remained silent for the moment.

“Thank you for doing your best to protect me, Sebastian,” Rosa said with a smile of her own, only for Sebastian to nod and leave the room with Polly. 

With Polly gone, Rosa then looked to Mint, only to see a concerned look on his face.

“You should go after her,” Rosa then said, catching the shapeshifter off guard.

“What?” he said in confusion, while Rosa merely gave her friend a sad smile.

“Well, you looked concerned about her, so you should probably check on her when you get the chance,” she then said, while Mint seemed torn about something.

“But, we have to talk about the Dragon Festival, don’t we?” he said, only for Rosa to sigh and try and remove one of the combs keeping her hair in place.

“Yes,” she said, “But maybe it can wait until after you come back from your adventure,” Rosa said, “That is if you’re still planning on having one, I mean.”

“I do, I promised Polly I’d help her find a dragon to befriend for Grandfather,” Mint then said, “And well… I do my best to keep my promises, you know that.”

“I know,” Rosa said, just as a chubby priest entered the room, his tan overcoat and blue scarf signifying that he was a member of Perrault’s clergy. As he looked around the room in confusion as he saw the burnt curtain near the stage before he saw the remains of Roland Dearheart on the floor. As he paled at the sight, Rosa watched as the man sighed before reaching into his coat to pull out a wineskin, the smell of grapes and alcohol filling her sensitive nose.

“Poor Roland,” he said, “He went down a dark path in life.”

“Poor _Roland!?”_ Rosa then growled, turning towards the priest, “I’m sorry, but that… that _ogre_ in human form kidnapped us, tried to elope with me against my will, and even decided to kill my best friend by using me as bait to lure him into a trap! How can you even say that about someone so… so _evil!?”_

The priest said nothing, merely dropping his wineskin and covering his face with his hands. Rosa wanted to try and apologize to the man, but she found that she couldn’t. Her hatred for Roland prevented her from doing so, and as the smell of burnt flesh finally reached her nose, she turned around and headed out of the room with Mint, followed by Mister Finch and Crandall and the two dolls holding the train of her wedding gown.

In all honesty, she was thankful that the ceremony was canceled.

~0~

Polly groaned as she awoke from blacking out after the battle with Roland. She found herself still in armor and resting on top of a bed as a cat rested at the foot of her bed, the creature looking like a cross between an extremely Maine coon and a gray tabby. As she saw that the creature wasn’t breathing, she quickly realized that it was one of the many dolls in the manor.

“Armor off,” she then said quietly to herself, watching as her armor disappeared in a flash of light before it returned to the form of an elegant draconic bracelet. While she didn’t know what the black bracelet and armor was made of, she had to admit, that if Roland had managed to hit her, it probably would have saved her life.

That was when it all came back to her. The fight, the voice she heard, even her using The Dragoon’s legendary fire breath for the first time! While she was shocked that Steel managed to somehow come back from being dead, she was more concerned over the fact that her first fight led to the villain being killed instead of being apprehended.by the proper authorities. Sure, it made sense considering that in Ridley’s lifetime, he had to kill bad guys in order to protect the innocent, but Polly was a girl from the modern era! She had to obey the rules put into place by the Council of Heroics and Villainy, which meant that she could possibly be in deep trouble for being involved in the death of a villain, even if the Council didn't exist in this world. Sure, it probably wouldn’t have mattered if she was still a civilian, but she was a superhero now, or at least, she’d be considered one when she got back to her world. Not to mention that her aunt Erika might be in for a surprise during her next visit, especially since her aunt was---

Her thoughts were interrupted as she felt the paws of the cat doll on her lap, causing her to look down and see the doll curl up and actually start purring!

“Oh! You’re pretty well made, aren’t you?” Polly said with a smile, stroking the doll’s soft fur as gently as possible when the door to the bedroom opened.

“Yes, Graham really is, as are all the dolls of the Manor,” said Sebastian as he wheeled in a cart holding what looked like pancakes, bacon, eggs, and golden syrup that smelled like apples to Polly, as well as milk, honey, and coffee.

“Oh, Sebastian, is everyone alright?” Polly then asked, getting straight to business as the horned doll picked up the tray of food on the cart and set it on a table for Polly. Mainly because her lap was currently occupied at the moment by a large toy cat.

“Yes, everyone that was with your group survived, as did Miss Cortez,” Sebastian said with a nod, “The three male members of your group are across the hall in the Drawing Room, waiting for you to wake up. You’ve been asleep since yesterday afternoon.”

“Holy Cats!” Polly said in surprise, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to worry anyone!”

“It’s not your fault, yesterday was stressful for everyone, it only makes sense that someone would blackout,” said the horned doll as he watched Polly get off the bed and walk towards the table, her stomach growling for the meal the doll had brought her. She also noticed that Graham the cat followed her from the bed and decided to curl up at her feet as she sat down.

“Oh! He’s certainly fond of cuddling, isn’t he?” Polly then said in surprise, while Sebastian merely nodded towards her before he spoke again.

“Indeed,” he said, “The Cuddle Squad are trained to sense when a guest is in need of a friendly companion to cheer them up or help them destress. Graham is second in command of the squad, while the leader, Adam, is currently keeping Rosa anchored emotionally before her departure.” 

“I see, that’s pretty amazing!” Polly said with a smile, “And I’m glad Rosa seems to be alright, I understand that being kidnapped can be a frightening experience.”

“Oh, have you been kidnapped before?” Sebastian then asked, causing Polly to nod.

“Two years ago, though I knocked out my kidnapper with a metal object to knock him out.” Polly said as she ate her pancakes, and also decided not to count her kidnappings by appointment as actual events since well, they were planned in advance with the villains in question. Deciding to move on from the subject, the white-haired girl then decided to ask a question, “When can I see my friends?”

“In a couple of hours,” Sebastian said, “You just went through a frightening ordeal with that battle yesterday afternoon, and I assume you need time to relax before you discuss your plans upon leaving the Manor.”

“Well, that is true…” Polly said a bit uncomfortably, “And I’m sorry about burning the curtain in the theatre, is there any way I can work off fixing them?”

“While I appreciate the offer,” Sebastian said, “However, Mister Finch has already paid for damages while you were unconscious. Is that fair for you Miss Andrews?”

“I guess so,” Polly said, “But I still feel bad about damaging your home in the first place.”

“Damages happen, Miss Andrews,” Sebastian said, “A person might not always be able to pay for those damages, but one must be responsible for any damage one causes. Mister Dearheart was irresponsible with the damage he caused Miss Cortez, and while he cannot do anything to fix that damage, I’m sure someone will be able to repair Miss Cortez’s heart one day.”

“What happened to Roland after his death?” Polly then asked with concern in her voice, only for Sebastian to frown and shake his head.

“He has been buried in the cemetery reserved for guests who pass on during their visit,” Sebastian said, “His gravestone states that he is the worst guest we’ve ever had to host, and should serve as a warning to future guests.”

“Golly, I wonder how someone like Roland ended up so twisted?” Polly asked herself more than Sebastian, while the horned doll merely looked at Polly for a moment before he sighed and spoke.

“He talked in his sleep and kept mentioning and apologizing to someone named Melissa. I don’t really know who that is or her relation to Mister Dearheart, but whoever she is, she may have been the cause,” Sebastian said before Polly finished eating her meal and stood up.

“I’d like to go see my friends now,” she then said, only for Sebastian to shake his head.

“I’m sorry, but you just woke up after a frightening experience,” Sebastian said, “Manor Policy dictates that guests who went through a traumatic experience must spend at least two hours of time with a member of the Cuddle Squad, and if I must, I will stay here and make sure you spend that time with Graham.”

“Fine…” Polly said with a sigh as she finished her meal. As much as she wanted to argue with the doll, she had to admit, it was only two hours. Her friends could probably wait a little longer for her, right?

~0~

Meanwhile, across the hall from Polly’s room, Steel Finch was staring down Crandall as he sat on a rather nice dark blue couch in the middle of the pale blue drawing-room. Of course, while Mint was currently writing to his mother through the magic journal she had given him, the shapeshifter honestly wasn’t paying much attention to the other two people in the room. Still, all was quiet during the staredown, and not even the dolls cleaning the drawing-room were willing to interrupt them.

In all honesty, after an hour of silence, Steel was starting to get annoyed with the glare that the partial human was giving him at the moment.

“What are you?” Crandall finally asked, Steel impressed that the teen wasn’t going to dance around the subject of how he had come back to life.

“Human,” Steel then said bluntly, while Mint paused in his writing to tap his pen on his chin, though the shapeshifter’s green eyes were on the man and the young superhero.

“I doubt that,” Crandall then said with a frown as he crossed his arms, “Humans don’t come back from the dead, and I checked your pulse- it was stopped and your neck was broken!”

“And how did you know my neck was broken?” Steel then asked plainly, clearly unamused by this teenager’s attitude at the moment.

“I used my X-Ray vision to look inside your body,” Crandall said smugly, which honestly surprised Steel. A way to look inside the body without cutting them open? That seemed like something done by a crystal magician using Calcite, but since he knew the red-head in front of him didn’t use magic like that, he figured that his world probably had their ways of doing things magic could in this one.

“Yeah, well, I got better, obviously,” Steel then said once he collected himself, waving off Crandall with his hand.

“Yeah, well you also had some sort of blockage in your spine as well, so you shouldn't even be moving if that’s the case!” Crandall said while Steel merely shrugged and dismissively stood up and stretched to prove Crandall wrong.

“Well, obviously I’m still able to move, blockage or not,” he then said with a smirk, “And besides, I’m not going to say anything about that blockage until Polly gets here. Mainly so I can avoid repeating myself.”

“You really enjoy frustrating people, don’t you?” Crandall said coldly, while Steel hummed for a moment in thought.

“Yeah, pretty much,” he said, “And when you get as old as I am, you’ll find it pretty fun too.”

“Um, if I may add to the conversation,” Mint then said as he scribbled something down before closing his journal for the moment as he gained both Steel and Crandall’s attention, “Back in Thornsborough, it was rumored that Mister Finch was immortal. However, Rosa and I didn’t really believe it until yesterday’s battle.”

Crandall just stared at Mint in disbelief, before he covered his face with his hands and let out a frustrated sigh, “You couldn’t have me and Polly that before!?”

“Well, you never asked about it so I thought it wasn’t that important,” Mint said plainly, while Steel failed to hold back a chuckle as the teen continued, “Besides, Mother and Father told me it was just a rumor when I asked about it years ago.”

“Yeah, that’s understandable,” Steel then said with a shrug, “I mean, Mint’s parents were the ones to first discover my secret in the first place. They probably didn’t want Mint or other kids to bug me about it.”

“Wait, how did Mint’s parents find out?” Crandall then asked while Mint remained silent for the moment.

“They saw me put my head back on after a monster cut it off,” Steel said bluntly, enjoying the expression of shock on Crandall’s face. Though as he spotted Mint’s uncomfortable expression, Steel sighed and simply took a sip of his flask, the special whiskey inside it slightly burning his throat. It was a sensation he was used to now more than ever. Then again, as he thought about it, his special mix of seven different and strong alcoholic drinks would probably knock out a man if anyone other than him would take a sip. 

It was then that the door to the drawing-room opened, the creaking of the hinges breaking the silence that had formed between the guys. Crandall at first looked hopeful to see who had entered the room, but his face fell when he saw that it was Rosa.

“Oh, is Polly still not up yet?” Rosa then asked, the wolf girl once more in the white dress with embroidered red roses, instead of the wedding dress she was forced to wear for the sham ceremony she was forced into.

“We don’t know,” Crandall said with a sigh, “Are you doing alright?”

Steel watched as Rosa looked towards Mint, the shapeshifter looking away in guilt as he stopped writing again.

“I’m fine,” Rosa then said as she looked back to Crandall and nodded, “What about you? I… I saw what Roland did to you.”

Steel raised an eyebrow as he wondered what she meant, though upon seeing Crandall rub his neck in silence, it didn’t take long for him to put things together.

“Yeah,” Crandall said, “That… was the first time I’ve ever been strangled, I kind of don’t want to have that happen again.”

“Understandable,” Rosa said, before she glanced around the Drawing Room, “I… honestly want to get home as soon as possible, are we leaving once Polly is awake?”

“I could take you right away,” Crandall then said, surprising Rosa and Mint.

“You can?” Both teens said, while Steel merely raised an eyebrow at this.

“Yeah, well, I can fly, so it should be easy to take you home as soon as possible, though, I may end up pushing my limit if you want to get there today,” Crandal said before he started hovering off the ground to demonstrate.

“Okay Show off, why don’t you stop blabbing and get back to Thornsborough, Rosa’s been here long enough.” Steel then said in annoyance as he got up off the couch, causing Crandall to land gently on the floor as he straightened out the yellow waistcoat he wore over a white shirt and black pants. Sure, Steel knew that he was wearing it over his costume from his world for some silly reason, but as the older man looked at the redhead, he couldn’t help but feel that he was starting to get better.

At least in the sense that he was showing less attitude than he did before.

“Right,” Crandall said before looking to Rosa and asking a simple question.

“Do you want to leave through a window, or out the front door?”

“Front door,” Rosa said, and Steel watched as the two teenagers left the room together, leaving him and a silent Mint alone. Steel then looked towards Mint and decided to break the silence once again with a question.

“So, what exactly did I miss while I was out?” he asked, while Mint decided to continue writing in his journal with a worried expression on his face.

“Well, I don’t know what might have happened to Crandall exactly, or how Roland managed to get burned, but… I was placed inside a black bubble enchanted to make me feel nothing but the worst of pains,” Mint said quietly, “I just told this to Mother, but she hasn’t responded yet.”

Steel’s maroon eyes widened at this bit of information. The spell Mint having just described being one he hadn’t heard about in a very long time. In fact, as far as he knew, no one should be able to even know that specific spell!

“Mint, I need you to look me in the eye, now,” Steel then said, his voice filled with a quiet fury, while the young shapeshifter seemed confused at the moment.

“Very well,” Mint said as he complied, his green eyes locking with Steel’s maroon ones, though the teen was very clearly confused by this going by the expression on his face. Steel, however, said nothing, instead of letting a very unique power of his to activate, as his vision was filled with Mint’s life so far, from birth to his time training to use his powers from Carmen, to meet his father and half-sister at age ten, to even the day he met Polly Andrews! Steel continued focusing on what his power was letting him view, before the fight with Roland, where there was nothing but darkness for a few agonizing moments before the images came back, showing Roland burned and sucker-punched towards the curtains.

Steel broke his gaze then, not wanting to go any further, but as he glared at the wall, he knew full well what that little fucker had done.

“Mint, when your mother writes you back, let me know immediately, ok?” he said, while Mint nodded in confusion, “Also… we’re going to need to make a detour to the ruins of Gol, if I’m right about what happened to you, then you’re going to need to talk to your Godmother Irene if your mother doesn’t write you back by then.”

“But why?” Mint asked, now a little frightened, “What… What did you see? Is my future a bad one?”

“Didn’t look that far,” Steel said, “But Irene knows some things that I need to confirm with her.”

“What would that be?” Mint asked, only for Steel to sigh and look out the window of the blue room.

“Can’t tell you- it… has something to do with what I promised your mother before you were born- and don’t ask me about it either. That’s on your parents to tell you, not me,” Steel said and watched as Mint silently let the subject drop for now.

Still, Steel Finch was not a happy huntsman in the slightest. What he saw and what Mint said was indeed true, which should have been impossible since that bastard was killed seventeen years ago. Carmen herself confirmed the death and also confirmed that all of his notes were destroyed by her hand immediately afterward. That spell, that _godsdamn_ spell shouldn’t even be known by now, and even then, only two people knew how to do it and both of them should be as dead as a whale in the desert.

And yet that monster Roland was able to do it. He had seen the kid’s life as well, sure, but he didn’t want to believe who he worked for was still alive.

She was supposed to be dead. He was forced to witness it at that bastard’s hands years ago. But, if she somehow survived being burned to ashes, then that was the only way she could be in the flesh. And since Roland mentioned his “Mistress” telling the brat about him…

Steel looked at the flask in his hand and if his hypothesis was correct, then he was going to need some stronger spirits than what he already had.

~0~

The flight back to Thornsborough was a quiet one, but as Crandall was able to cut loose and fly as fast as possible while holding onto Rosa, they had arrived in the woods outside of Thornsborough in the middle of the afternoon. He had to admit though, while Rosa was a head taller than him and Polly, it had been rather easy to carry her through the air. 

Still, as they walked through the woods on a path that Rosa had found and recognized, the two teens were quiet still, until Rosa decided to start up a conversation.

“Thank you, for helping Mint rescue me,” she said, causing Crandall to blush a bit.

“It’s no problem, helping people is what heroes are supposed to do, ya know?” he said looking up at the branches overhead.

“Maybe so,” Rosa said with a giggle, “Though, it’s a shame I wasn’t able to help in the fight, nor was I able to thank Polly before leaving.”

“Well… I was raised to believe that civilians shouldn’t get involved with Hero business, but, I’m starting to have my doubts about that after an argument I had with Polly a couple of years ago,” Crandall said, remembering the incident with Blackguard.

“Well, I believe that anyone has the capacity to be a hero, even me,” Rosa said before she uprooted a tall sapling that had been growing on the path, causing Crandall to stop and look impressed.

“Wow, you’re pretty strong,” he said, “Where did you get your strength from?”

“From Papa, he was suckled on Giant’s Milk when he was a baby, and according to him, it made him as strong as thirty oxen combined!” Rosa said with a smile as her tail wagged, before nervously adding “I inherited that strength and accidentally tore a balcony window off its hinges while I was at the Manor.”

“Yeah, having super strength can be a pain sometimes,” Crandall said casually, “I don’t know how many times I’ve had to hold back my strength just to pass as a normal person. Sometimes I wish I could just… be both Dyna Lad and Crandall Barry, instead of just being one or the other back home.”

“Well, what’s stopping you from being both here?” Rosa said, “I don’t know how it is in your world, but, as far as I know, the people of Thornsborough doesn’t have to deal with secret identities or anything like that.”

“I guess you have a point,” Crandall said, “To be honest, I really don’t know how to be a normal person very well. Not like you, or Polly, or even Mint… even if he _is_ a shapeshifter.”

“Do you have a problem with shapeshifters?” Rosa then asked, causing Crandall to flinch and shrug.

“I… honestly don’t know, but my father does, he says they can’t be trusted because you never know what their true form is,” Crandall said quietly, “I mean, I feel like I shouldn’t trust them, but Mint’s attitude is just… making me question some things.”

“Mint has to deal with a lot, due to being what he is,” Rosa said with a sigh, “He’s always trying his best to be a good person, it’s part of the reason I fell in love with him in the first place. But, some people passing through Thornsborough just see his horns and assume he’s nothing but a thing or a deciever just because of what he is. It gets especially bad when people from Spherean.”

“Why’s that?” Crandall asked in confusion, “I mean, that Buckland lady seemed pretty alright with Mint, and she said she was the queen of Spherean.”

“Queen Anastasia is an exception, but… most people from Spherean despise shapeshifters because of their inability to use magic,” Rosa said sadly, while Crandall merely glared at a nearby tree.

“That’s pretty stupid,” Crandall said after a minute, “I mean, just because a person can’t do something doesn’t mean they should be treated like crap for it!”

“That’s just how the world is,” Rosa said, “Queen Anastasia is doing her best to fix this problem, but some people aren’t so willing to change.”

“Right,” Crandall said dismissively, “Can we move on to something else? I’d rather not continue this topic of conversation.”

“Understandable,” Rosa said, before humming as she thought of something new to talk about. Then she smiled and asked, “So, how did you meet Polly? Mint told me that you were her ex-boyfriend.”

“Oh, I was exploring Swing Town- that’s where Polly and I are from, when I saw Polly about to be mugged by a couple of guys. I stopped them and after that we started dating,” Crandall said, before sighing and running a hand through his short red hair, the ground looking a lot more interesting as the town started to come into view, “but I screwed it up. I didn’t really communicate with her, I minimized her achievements when she helped me out, and well, I screwed it all up. Now, I feel like I lost all my chances with her, that she wouldn’t even want me to be a friend with how much we argued since we got to this world. I… I want her back as my girlfriend, but I don’t really know what to do.”

“Listen,” Rosa then said, stopping their walk to turn and face the young superhero, “If you obsess over Polly, you’re going to end up like Roland.Hell, you might even do something worse than he did if you keep on this path!”

“I… I would never do that to Polly!” Crandall snapped, though as Rosa glared at him, he began to doubt himself. Would he really sink so low as to hurt the girl he loved? His father had always said that he loved his mother, but she abandoned them after the divorce. He didn’t want to be the cause of someone else he loved leaving him alone again, but what would he really do in order to try and get her back as his girlfriend?

That thought scared him more than anything.

“Crandall,” Rosa then said calmly, most likely sensing his fear, “What do you love about Polly?”

“I… I don’t even know anymore,” Crandall said quietly, rubbing his arm as he felt his eyes burn and something roll down his cheeks. Placing a hand on his cheek and pulling it away, he saw a tear resting on the tips of his fingers. He had honestly never cried before as a teenager, his father always telling him that the weak cried when they lost. Realizing that he was crying felt alien to him now, six years after his mother disappeared from the face of the Earth and he honestly didn’t like it.

Rosa seemed to pick up on Crandall’s emotional state, as next thing he knew, she was hugging him, whispering to him, “Think about what you like about Polly and get back to me, but in the meantime… maybe it isn’t so bad to be just friends with her.”

“Yeah…” Crandall said quietly, and the two teenagers started walking again,

It didn’t take them that much longer to reach the village, and as the sun shone in the sky overhead, Crandall realized they had been walking for at least an hour as it was now late in the afternoon. As the two teens walked past the village gate, the locals stared at them before going about their business, gossiping about Rosa’s return.

It was only a moment after they walked into the village did Rosa’s mother, Maria call out to them, running towards them with a basket full of vegetables with tears in her eyes.

“Rosa!” Maria Cortez cried out, before hugging her daughter tightly, “Oh baby, I was so worried about you!”

“Mama, I’m sorry I had everyone worried!” Rosa said, hugging her mother back, while Crandall awkwardly stared at the wolf people. He couldn’t recall his father really hugging him or cheering him up ever since the divorce, so he wasn’t really sure how to react to this beyond silently staring. He started to zone out a bit as mother and daughter talked about what happened, the kidnapper’s fate, and everything else that happened and didn’t really zone back in until Maria pulled Crandall into a bearhug.

“Aw, thanks for bringing my little girl home, Sugar!” Maria then said before she let the redhead go and looked up at the sky for a moment, “Anyway, it’s a long way back to the Doll Manor, would you like to stay the night and rest up before you head back?”

Crandall was stunned by this, no one had ever offered to invite him for dinner back home on Earth. He just went from one crime to the next without stopping and as he thought about it, never really took that many breaks while acting as a superhero outside of meals and his admittedly bad dates with Polly over the past two years.of their relationship. In fact, he rarely slept for a full eight hours before coming to this world, instead taking quick naps as his days were filled with either crime-fighting, homework, or training with his father to become a better and stronger hero. 

And yet, a chance to rest and relax and have a home-cooked meal seemed so tempting. On one hand, he felt he should get back to Polly and the others at the Doll Manor as soon as possible. But on the other, he realized that he might need a chance to think things through on how to apologize to Polly for being an awful boyfriend.

After all, if he hadn’t froze up when her friend Troy was in danger, then maybe they wouldn’t be here.

“You know something, I think I will stay for the night,” Crandall finally said with a smile, “Thank you for inviting me.”

Maria simply nodded and led the two teens home, Crandall doing his best to get his mind off Polly for one night, and maybe think about what he wanted for once.

Maybe, things would turn out ok for him.

~0~

In the castle of White Mountain, specifically in one of the many chambers available to guests, a young man was busy studying the history of the Blue Faerie Empire. He was a nice looking young man with fluffy bright red hair and deep blue eyes like his mother, but there was something otherworldly about him as well, though what it was happened to be very hard to tell. This young man, Elphobos Buckland was a student at White Mountain’s Royal Academy, and unfortunately, as he used a simple light spell to read by, his roommate was scrying something in a bowl of water within the darkness of their room.

Again.

“Mwahahahahaha!” Elphobos’ roommate laughed evilly, causing the redhead to roll his eyes as he knew what was coming, instead doing his best to ignore the other teen by flipping a page in his history book, “So, Mint and his cute friend have rescued the lovely Rosa with the help of those other guys and will soon be on their way here! And once they arrive, I’ll make sure they have a time they’ll never forget!”

Oh Gods, so he was obsessing over Sir Kuro’s son. Again. So, Elphobos decided to put a damper on his roommate’s antics by brightening up the room with a wave of his hand, revealing the white pajama’d body of Prince Michael Green of Labrys, the pale green goblin prince glaring at the unflappable prince of Spherean as he kept his eyes glued to his history book.

“Killjoy,” Michael then said as he pouted a bit, the sixteen-year-old goblin’s large pointed ears twitching in annoyance. As the other prince in the room shook his wild, white mane of hair while in anger, it was clear that Elphobos had gotten on the goblin’s bad side.

Not that he cared.

“You were doing that thing again,” Elphobos said plainly, still not looking up at the goblin prince, “You know, where you pretend there’s an audience and dictate your schemes in private.”

“Sh-Shut up!” Michael said, and Elphobos could already tell that the shorter of the two princes in the room was pointing at him, “I’m just trying to emulate my father! He does this too, ya know!”

“So you say,” Elphobos said, before flipping yet another page in his book, his eyes scanning behind his glasses at the history of the Blue Faerie Empire and also Puck’s Rebellion. “Honestly, ever since Sir Kuro’s son beat you in a duel two years ago, you’ve been obsessed with the guy… are you sure you’re not crushing on him or something?”

“Wh-what!? No!” Michael said defensively, “You know full well I prefer cute girls than I do guys in general!”

“So you say,” Elphobos said again with a smirk, “Doesn’t help that you have a journal dedicated to what Mint is up to.”

“Hey! What sort of rival would I be if I didn’t keep tabs on him?!” Michael snapped before he crossed his arms and glared daggers at his roommate.

“By the way, don’t forget we have a history exam tomorrow,” Elphobos said after rolling his eyes, causing Michael to flinch and rush back to his side of the room to pull out his history book and start studying frantically.

“I hate you, _so much_ right now,” the goblin prince then said while Elphobos merely smirked and said nothing, feeling that once again, he had won the battle between them.

~0~

“So, Roland has failed me,” said the witch as she and her apprentice looked over a cauldron to see Roland Dearheart’s coffin buried in the ground at the Doll Manor. She was a beautiful woman with short, bright blonde hair and brown eyes that seemed almost red. She wore a red cloak over an orange dress that covered her black shoes and her pale body. Though, as her apprentice glanced at her, he could see the sparrow-like mask she always wore that covered everything above the nose and part of her right cheek. Rathbone never questioned why she wore that mask, but he could feel it was enchanted in some sense.

Still, the apathy with which she dismissed his fellow apprentice’s death chilled him to the bone. But, he must never question Mistress Amelia and her lack of emotion at times, or else he would be in deep trouble like he was when she first took him under her wing when he was but a young child.

“Mistress,” Rathbone then said, twirling a lock of his pale gray hair around his finger, “Roland was a fool who let his lust for that wolf get in the way. Perhaps we should find another way to make Koichi Kuro and the others that defeated you suffer?”

“Perhaps, dear Rathbone,” Amelia said, “However, Mint and his companions are headed to White Mountain from what we have scryed, so perhaps their proximity to another target of mine shall be in our favor as well.”

“You mean to use them to get close to the son of Tobias?” Rathbone asked, earning a nod from Amelia and a rare smile as well.

“Indeed,” she said, “However, my defeat seventeen years ago has weakened me, but you, Rathbone, are strong. You will be in charge of making sure Kuro knows the pain he caused me tenfold. We might not be able to get to his brother, but we can at least attack who we can through what they love most.”

“But what of the Dragoon and the other Sciterran?” Rathbone then asked, “Or Steel Finch? He seems to be the one to look out for in my endeavors.”

“The two offworlders are not our concern,” Amelia said dismissively before she rubbed her heart at the mention of Steel Finch, the woman frowning in confusion at the mention of his name. Rathbone always felt like his mistress had lost something important, but could never figure out what it was, but assumed that it was none of his business in the end. Still, her reaction to Steel’s name alone raised many questions, and he wondered just what connection he had to her.

“Mistress?” Rathbone then said, getting the woman’s attention.

“Steel Finch is hard to take down, find a way to distract him for a while before closing in on our targets,” she then said quietly, before leaving the dark chamber, “And Rathbone… be careful. I don’t wish to lose my best apprentice.”

“Of course, Mistress,” Rathbone then said as he gave a bow. Once Amelia closed the door behind her, he turned back to the cauldron and waved a hand over it, turning his attention to the girl that was with Mint, what was her name? Ah yes, Polly. That’s what Mint called her, at least.

He wasn’t sure why, but there was something interesting about the girl, how she tried to heal Roland after burning him with fire breath. Seeing as she handled the cat doll gently as the toy cuddled her, Rathbone hummed in interest. Her magic it seemed was very new to her, but also powerful. She would make an interesting apprentice to his Mistress if she requested it. But, as Amelia had dismissed the girl as being unimportant, Rathbone decided to perhaps bring her to his side on his own time. Sure, he was only eighteen, but he knew every spell and technique that his mistress could teach him. Maybe he could send something in order to test the group once they reached Gol’s ruins, just to see how much of a threat to his Mistress they could be.

But what could he send? That was the question. Oh well, he had a few days to figure it out, and perhaps his Mistress could help him with an idea or two as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So for starters, the bit at the beginning with Rosa was not originally planned. Instead, the chapter was supposed, to begin with Polly waking up the following day. 
> 
> As for the bit with Steel Finch, Crandall, and Mint, that section was supposed to end with Crandall and Rosa leaving, but I decided to keep on with the scene because well, I felt I couldn't really end it there like I planned. We also get a glimpse of an ability that Steel has, which we will end up learning in the next chapter once it's written. 
> 
> Also, in my plotting notes, the scene with Rosa and Crandall walking through the woods was supposed to take place while they were in the air, but I realized that was a good way to get bugs in their mouth and settled for the flight being quiet. 
> 
> Next, we introduce characters that sadly won't be seen for a while- Elphobos, Anastasia's son, and his roommate Michael. Honestly, I had no idea they would end up as they did once I finally wrote their scene, and it's been a scene I've been hoping to write for well, a little over a year!
> 
> Finally, we meet Amelia and her Apprentice, Rathbone. Not much to say about them without going into spoilers, and I swear that I didn't cop out on Rathbone because I didn't have much thought out for him! Honest!
> 
> Anyway, next chapter is most likely going to be another long one, and it's going to focus on Steel Finch so... yeah.


	13. Steel Finch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steel Finch tells his story.

The following morning in Thornsborough was a quiet one. Though the Cortez family celebrated the return of Rosa, Crandall was given a hero’s welcome as well for returning her to where she belonged. Sure, it was just her parents celebrating her return and Crandall’s part in it, but it was still another example of the heroic praise he was used to back in his world. However, this time he felt he didn’t really earn that praise, as in his mind, it was Polly and Steel Finch who defeated the bad guy, while he and Mint were nearly killed by Rosa’s kidnapper, Roland.

He had never been strangled before, but as he recalled what Roland made him do to himself, Crandall sighed as he looked out the window of the Cortez family’s spare bedroom, realizing he did not want to go through that again. In fact, he was starting to wonder if he was weak to Magic, since that was the only thing he could think of besides psychic powers being used. Yet, he had seen Roland summon that black bubble that caused Mint so much pain, seen Polly breathe fire and heal Roland, as well as Seen Steel come back from the dead and skewer Roland with Magic Arrows.

He just had to accept that Magic was indeed real, at least it was in this world.

Crandall then got dressed as the sun started to rise over the mountains marking the border between the Kingdoms of Miravel and Scherezade- the latter being a desert kingdom from what he could gather- and soon crept out of his room and hovered down the stairs to avoid waking up his hosts, especially since he found out the wooden stairs creaked when he walked up them after dinner the night before. He wanted to leave quietly, so as to avoid a hard time leaving since the Cortez family was pretty nice to him, and he didn’t want to have a long drawn out goodbye either. Mainly because he felt he needed to get back to the Doll Manor as soon as possible.

When he reached the bottom of the stairs, he was met with the sight of Rosa in a white nightgown, the wolf girl’s long black hair hanging loosely around her body. As Crandall looked in surprise that he had been caught, Rosa then went on to answer the question he had in his mind by pointing at her ear before she spoke to him.

“We’re all early risers,” she said, “Were you planning on leaving before saying goodbye?”

“Y-Yeah,” Crandall said, mentally kicking himself as he forgot the family of wolves had excellent hearing as well. As he looked through the wall with his X-ray vision to see Mr. and Mrs. Cortez in the kitchen, with Sue preparing breakfast while his wife Maria drank something, he had to kick himself further as he realized that the Cortezes being early risers in a mountain village made sense.

“Well,” Rosa said before picking up a basket off of a nearby table and handing it to the redhead, “At least take something to eat with you. I mean, it’s going to be a long flight back to the Manor, right?”

“Thanks,” Crandall said as he took the basket onto his arm and was about to head out the door when his stomach growled. Embarrassed, he then turned around and added, “Do you think I can stay for breakfast?”

“Of course,” Rosa said, “I think my parent would prefer that, I mean, they did set a spot at the table for you, after all.”

Both teens laughed a little at this, and so Crandall’s departure was delayed, just a little bit longer.

After breakfast was eaten and goodbyes were had, Crandall left Thornsbourough for the second time, and without a passenger in his arms, he allowed himself to let loose and fly back to the Manor at full speed. He rarely got to fly at his full speed back on Earth, mainly because it was able to break the sound barrier when he was able to let loose. Of course, breaking the sound barrier was a hazard to planes back home, so he had to only use his full speed in emergencies only. Of course, as he didn’t need to worry about planes as far as he knew, he could actually let loose and enjoy himself for once.

As a result, it didn’t take him long to reach the Manor again, slowing down in his flight so he wouldn’t overshoot his destination. As Crandall landed outside of the front door, he gently knocked on the gigantic wooden doors of the pink and white building, just so he didn’t accidentally knock a hole in the wood.

As the door opened and was met with Sebastian, the pair silently walked through the halls of the manor, Crandall still being creeped out by the living dolls. Sure, at first he thought they were robots, but as he used his x-ray vision on them, he saw that there wasn’t a scrap of circuitry inside them, just solid wood, fluffy over a wooden skeleton, or even just hollow porcelain depending on the doll. Even Madame Lulia was a bisque doll with ball joints from what he’d seen, though for some reason he couldn’t help but feel that there was something incredibly off about the woman. He was honestly afraid to ask questions as he realized that Magic was an answer for anything in this world, especially since so far everything weird that he’d seen could be attributed to it so easily.

In fact, he was starting to wonder if whoever said Magic was just science no one understood yet was full of it or something.

When Sebastian reached the Manor’s drawing-room, Crandall was drawn out of his thoughts by the sight of Polly in her adventuring clothes, the white shirt with blue sleeves looking nice on her along with the soft leather pants she had on as well as her dark brown boots. Crandall still loved Polly, even if she hated his guts, but he still was glad she saved his life again, at least. However, as he stared at her, he found his tongue tied as he tried to figure out what to say to her. Last time she rescued him, he messed up by saying that civilians shouldn’t get caught up in hero business, but if she hadn’t then, he’d have been dead.

So instead, he looked away from her and looked to the wall of the Drawing Room, suddenly finding it a lot more interesting as he waited for her to chew him out again for something he messed up on.

“Crandall, are you alright?” Polly then asked while the redhead looked at her in surprise for a moment, before he stumbled upon his words.

“Oh, uh… y-yeah, I’m fine,” he said sheepishly, “How about you?”

“I’m alright,” Polly said, “We were waiting on you to get back since Mister Finch said he had something to tell us all, and that he didn’t want to repeat himself after you got back.”

“Yeah, I know, he said the same thing to me while you were out of commission yesterday,” Crandall said as he rubbed the back of his neck, though he had a good idea what the subject was going to be.

“Hey, Steel, I’m here,” Crandall then said to the man in question as Mint looked up from his journal and put it away in his bag for the moment.

“Yep, I can see that,” Steel said, “And since we’re all here now, I guess we can talk about the Sheboolie in the room, how I came back from the dead. So, you want the long version or the short version?”

“Short version,” all three teens then said, while Steel merely shrugged and gave his answer.

“Fine, I’m immortal and have been for the past 267 years,” the man said, and while Polly and Mint seemed fine with this answer, Crandall however wasn’t.

_“That’s it?”_ he said in disbelief, “Then, how did you become immortal in the first place? Hell, what even led you to that incident in the first place? Power? A fear of dying? How do I know you’re not some villain trying to atone for your crimes?”

Steel was silent, glaring at Crandall before he pulled out his flask and took a swig, not even breaking eye contact with the teen. Once again, Crandall could feel those maroon eyes bore into his soul before the immortal man finally spoke again after what seemed like an eternity.

“Alright then, Long Version it is,” he said, before keeping his flask open as he conjured up an amber bubble of liquid as Steel continued, “And I’ll even be nice to provide visual aids for it as well.”

Crandall then watched as Steel mumbled something under his breath that was too quiet for even him to hear with his super hearing. Then, as if as a test, an image appeared in the large bubble depicting a woman with blonde hair and brown eyes wearing a blue cloak over a green dress. Crandall didn’t know who this woman was, but the way she smiled did remind him of his missing mother.

Then, the image faded, Steel replacing it with the image of a lanky looking man with black hair and dark blue eyes wearing simple clothes consisting of a pale gray shirt and pale brown pants with black shoes and gray stockings. He wore glasses on his large nose, and had a kindly but bony face, almost as if he didn’t eat that much. The room he was in wasn’t fancy by any means, just four wooden walls and a wooden floor, and the man was holding a bundle of rushes as he made a broom.

“This is my father, Thomas Finch,” Steel then said, “An honest and simple broom maker just trying to get by for himself and his two sons…”

And so began his story.

~0~

Young Steel Finch had always been the more responsible twin between himself and his younger brother, Daniel, but as the young boy of eight years old watched his father return home with a small bag of gold and some fresh bread and what looked like fine cuts of deer, he couldn’t help but feel a little excitement. Of course, knowing that their father wasn’t the best hunter, Steel soon realized that something must have happened.

“Father,” Steel then said out of curiosity, while his father set all the food down on their kitchen table, “Where did you get all of this?”

Thomas Finch smiled at his sons while Daniel merely stared at what his father had gotten them, a smile on his face.

“It was the luckiest accident!” the twins’ father said with a grin before telling his story, “I was out in the wood searching for rushes when I came across a golden bird! I used a rock to knock a feather off of it, and showed that feather to your uncle. Well, according to him, he said it was real gold and he gave me a small sack of coins in exchange for it! For a time, we’ll be able to eat like kings, my precious boys!”

“About time our uncle did something nice for us, besides give us his scraps from the table,” young Daniel said snidely, earning him a swat to the head from his maroon-eyed twin.

“Daniel,” Thomas then said, “Be kind to your uncle, he and his wife are the only family we have.”

“Yes sir,” Daniel said with a sigh, while Steel looked at the bag of gold in worry, though he was young, Steel knew that money could change a person, especially as he thought about his uncle, Gaines. Gaines used to be a good man much like his twin brother Thomas, though while Gaines worked as a goldsmith instead of a broom maker, he also gained a lot of money over the years. As a result,the boy’ uncle went from being a near-identical copy of their father to a chubbier, well-fed man with nimble fingers and an eye for gold. He also had an ill temper unlike the kindly and patient Thomas, and as a result, Steel and his brother were usually quick when it came to asking for his scraps.

Still, as he thought about their good fortune, he had to admit that it would probably be nice to not have to beg from his uncle, even if it was for a little while.

~0~

A couple of months had passed since the feather was found, and Steel had noticed a slight change in his father as he went to find rushes whenever he was running low, most likely trying to find the bird again to capture and bring to his uncle for more money. While he had found two eggs a couple of weeks before, their funds and foodstuffs were running low again, and while his father was out once again, the boys’ stomachs growled and decided to go to their uncle’s kitchen to get some scraps from their kind aunt.

It was always a short walk from their house to their uncle’s manor, a large, stately building that stood atop a hill that overlooked all of the town of Gol. While Thomas and his sons lived at the bottom of the hill, the boys still felt it was best this way so they didn’t go hungry while their wealth was low. During the time between the feather being found and today, their father had managed to find a nest with four golden eggs and only took two of the eggs to give to his brother. Of course, after that their father would spend long days in the wood near the town, Steel assuming he was hunting the golden bird that had brought such good fortune so far.

As the boys reached the kitchen door, the smell of a roasting bird hit their noses, making their mouths water as they soon saw the large bird roasting on a spit just as two pieces fell into the pan under it. Going closer while no one was around, it was Daniel who spoke first.

“Steel, I think we may have those two little pieces!” he said, pointing to the pan as he picked up what looked like a liver and gave the other piece to his older twin, “No one will ever miss them, and I am so hungry!”

Steel was about to object when his stomach growled and sighed as he decided to eat his piece- which immediately slid down his throat despite it being as big as his pinky and as wide as three of his fingers! Yet, by some miracle he didn’t choke, nor did he question the strangeness of the bit of meat nor could his brother, as their aunt had arrived in the kitchen and saw their fingers were dirty, and immediately realized what was going on.

“What have you two been eating!?” their aunt asked, causing the boys to admit their deed at the same time.

“Only two pieces that fell from the bird!” they said, causing their aunt to turn pale from fright, most likely out of fear for their uncle’s temper.

“Oh! It must have been the heart and liver!” she exclaimed to herself before she rushed to the henhouse to grab a chicken to replace the other bird’s heart and liver. While she did this though, the boys took this as their cue to leave, or else face their uncle’s wrath themselves.

Little did either boy know, this incident would change their lives forever.

~0~

“So, what, did the magic bird heart make you immortal?” Crandall then asked, only for Steel to shake his head and change the image in the bubble to the younger Steel Finch in bed.

“No,” the wizard then said, “But it did give me another ability that’s got its uses.”

“What sort of ability?” Crandall then asked, only to earn a glare from Polly and Mint, a silent signal for him to be quiet.

“Let me continue, and you’ll find out!” Steel then snapped, causing the young superhero to fall silent for the moment.

~0~

The following morning, Steel Finch and his brother would wake up to a surprise under their pillows as when they got out of bed, two golden coins rolled out onto the floor. Wondering what was going on, the two boys immediately picked up one of the coins and went to their father. They had no idea what the cause of this was, and as they explained where the coins came from, all their father could say was “What could this mean?”

In the days that followed, more gold coins were appearing under the boys’ pillows, until a rare visit from their uncle led to their father asking him about the strange phenomenon. The twins watched their uncle in silence as they read their school books, with Steel noticing the man looking right back at them with a hard and jealous gleam in his eye. Then, he smirked slightly as he finally turned away and spoke.

“I don’t know what to say, Thomas,” Gaines then said a bit dramatically, before bluntly adding, “But your sons are in league with a Cacodaemon.”

“What!?” both Thomas and Daniel said in shock, while Steel remained silent, glaring at his uncle with his maroon eyes, while the blue eyes of his twin were filled with anger as their uncle continued.

“I advise not touching the gold anymore,” he then said, before adding, “And on no account should you let the boys remain in your house any longer, for that Cacodaemon has power over them, and could bring ruin to you through them.”

“Father, you can’t believe this, can you?” Steel said with tears in his eyes, causing his father to look away in shame.

“Honestly, I should have guessed it sooner,” Gaines then said smugly, “It’s harder to tell with Daniel, but Steel has the eyes of a daemon! Just what kind of human has maroon eyes, anyway?”

Steel was hit hard by the comment, sure, he had his mother’s eyes, but did they really resemble a daemon’s? No, they couldn’t have. They were just a strange color! There was no way he was under the control of a vile Cacodaemon, his vile uncle was just lying! 

But, why was he even doing this in the first place? Was it because of the coins that appeared under their pillows? Something was seriously wrong here, but sadly, young Steel Finch just couldn’t figure out what it was, his thoughts returning to his eyes as his uncle laughed.

“See? They don’t even deny the possibility!” Gaines then said while Thomas seemed unsure of what to do. All Steel could do was cry while his twin glared at their uncle and father, the younger brother holding his older sibling close to him.

~0~

The following few hours after that were a blur for Steel, but when he finally snapped out of his misery, he found himself blindfolded. He could hear the sounds of birds singing, and the sound of the breeze going through the leaves of a tree. Taking his blindfold off, and thankful that he wasn’t tied up, he found himself and his twin in the woods, alone with a basket nearby and a note attached to it. While his brother panicked, the eight-year-old boy picked up the note and read it silently to himself, tears welling up in his eyes once again.

_ My Precious Boys, _

_ I’m sorry that I couldn’t save you from the influence of a Cacodaemon, but Gaines is my brother, and I fear what he may do to you both if I let you stay with me. My only choice was to leave you both in the wood to survive, and while the guilt of this decision is heavy, I pray that you both find it in your hearts to forgive me someday. _

_ Never forget, that I did this to protect you both from Gaines, and never forget that whatever happens, I’ll always love you. _

_ Sincerely, _

_ Your Guilty Father, Thomas Finch. _

Steel held the note close and hid it in his shirt pocket, before opening the basket to find some dried meat, bread, and cheese for them to eat. Steel knew that the food wouldn’t last long, but hopefully, it would last enough for them to find a way out of the wood and hopefully back to civilization.

After all, the twins were only eight years old.

As they wandered through the woods after eating a meal, they found themselves going in circles as they kept returning to the clearing they woke up in. And after seven times going in circles, they were just about to give up when they heard a noise coming from their left. Acting quickly in case it was some dangerous beast, Steel picked up a heavy-looking stick off the ground while his twin picked up a rock off the ground, ready to throw it at whatever was heading their way.

They did not expect a man to come out of the bushes. He was a big burly man with shaggy blond hair and bright blue eyes. He wore a dark green coat over a white shirt and brown pants with fine leather boots. He looked almost like a nobleman with how he held his crossbow and looked surprised to see the lost twins and a partial basket of food on the ground nearby.

“Whose children are you?” the huntsman then asked, his deep voice resounding through the woods. Daniel was stunned into silence by the man, a rarity for Steel’s twin as the younger boy dropped the rock he held. So, it was up to Steel to explain things as best as an eight-year-old could.

“We’re a poor broom-binder’s children,” he said as he summoned up all his courage while still holding onto the stick in his hands, “And our father will not keep us any longer in the house because every morning there is a piece of gold under our pillows!”

The huntsman blinked for a moment as if trying to figure out what the boy just said. Then, he started to laugh.

“Ah!” he said with a grin as he wiped a tear from his eye, “That is not bad!”

“It’s not?” both boys said in confusion as Daniel added, “But our uncle said we were under the control of a Cacodaemon!”

“Well, your uncle was lying!” the man said with another laugh, “Well anyway, if you are honest with me, and have told me the truth, I will take you home and be a father to you!”

The boys were stunned by this gesture, however, Steel wasn’t sure how to feel about this. He still loved his real father, but he felt he couldn’t bring himself to call this stranger his father at all. Not to mention he wasn’t sure how to prove their power to the man in the first place!

As his eyes glanced around the clearing, they landed on the basket, and feeling something pull him toward it, he soon found himself searching through it.

“Steel, what are you doing?” his brother said, “This is no time to eat!”

“I’m trying to see if our father packed anything we could use to prove what we can do!” Steel said, just as his hand landed on a little sack full of gold coins- two for each day they were under his roof before that morning they awoke in the wood.

“Here,” Steel then said, offering the bag to the huntsman, “Check to see if it’s real gold, then you can take us home with you.”

The man blinked again, before looking young Steel in the eye. Then, he opened the bag and took out a gold coin and bit it with his mighty teeth. Steel had no idea why people bit into gold coins to test them, but as the man’s eyes widened, the boy figured it was a valid method in the end.

“Why it is real gold!” he said, before looking at the boys, “What are your names?”

“Steel Finch,” said the maroon-eyed twin as he pointed to himself, before indicating to his brother, “And this is my little brother, Daniel.”

“Who are you, anyway?” Daniel said, causing the man to flinch as he realized he’d failed to introduce himself.

“I am Robert Weissritter, the best huntsman humanity has ever had!” he then said, “And from now on, you two will be Steel and Daniel Weissritter, if you wish to be called such!”

“I’d like to stay as Steel Finch,” the maroon-eyed boy then said, while Daniel’s blue eyes seemed to sparkle at the idea of a new name.

“Daniel Weissritter sounds so amazing!” Steel’s twin then said as he took Robert’s hand in his own, “I look forward to being your son!”

And with that, the twins found themselves with a new family.

~0~

It had been 16 long years since the twins had been adopted by Robert Wiessritter, and while the twins were happy, Steel still thought about their true father every now and then. The twins were also trained in the ways of a huntsman- how to shoot, how to use a sword, and how to skin a beast as well. They also had given their adoptive father all of the gold coins they found under their pillow as well, so that they did not have to fear poverty ever again.

Still, the time eventually came for the twins to leave their new home, and so when that day came, Robert had given them each a crossbow inlaid with gold and silver leaves, and a magic knife that when put into a tree crosswise, would remain bright as long as the owner of that knife lived. They thanked their father and went out into the woods where they each gained five companions in their journey- a lion, a bear, a wolf, a fox, and a hare, in exchange for sparing the parent of each beast. It was crowded at times when they made camp, but as Steel embraced and named his pets, Daniel kept his distance from them despite their loyalty to him.

This worried Steel, but he chose to not think too deeply about this potential trouble.

Eventually, the brothers reached a crossroads and stabbed their knives into a nearby tree, one facing west and the other east. This way, if they ever found their way back to the crossroads, they’d be able to come to the other’s aid if they were ever in trouble.

So, while Daniel went West to find his fortune, Steel and his pets walked East, the road taking him back to Gol, much to his surprise.

It was there, that he discovered that the town had gotten bigger in his absence, and he heard rumors that the richest man in the village had given out a reward to anyone who could find him a golden bird. Remembering his father’s exploits, Steel immediately went to his old house, his pets following him and causing quite a stir in the sleepy town. As Steel moved through the streets of the town, he started to get worried. What if his father was dead? Would his father even recognize him after so many years if he still lived? Would Steel be welcomed home, or turned away? Was his old home even still standing?

As he reached the hill the Mansion stood on, Steel soon found the old shack that had been his home, it still stood and looked like it needed a new roof, but the familiarity hit Steel hard as he stood before the door. He knew he changed a lot from the scrawny eight-year-old boy he used to be, as he was now an athletic and well-fed man with short black hair and the beginnings of a beard. But his eyes, his maroon eyes were still the same, hopefully, one look into his eyes would get his father to recognize him if he lived.

“What are you waiting for?” he heard a female voice say, causing him to look down at the hare sitting on the back of Aurelio the lion, “It’s your father, you should at least knock and see if he answers.”

“Right, thanks, Sinatra,” Steel said, having failed to notice he was just standing before the door in fear. Taking a deep breath, he then raised a hand to knock on the old wooden door.

It didn’t take long for someone to answer, as the door was opened by a pitiful looking man in ragged clothes and thick gloves on his hands that went halfway to the elbow. Steel could see bones through the man's skin, and his graying black hair was thinning as well.

“Yes, hello, I’m Thomas Finch, may I help you?” the weary man said, before looking Steel in the eye. It wasn’t long before those familiar deep blue eyes widened in recognition before Thomas took his glasses off to clean them before putting them back on again, “Steel? Is that really you?”

“Yes Father, I’m finally home,” said the young huntsman with a sad smile, before hugging his father gently. The older man happily hugged his son back, tears filling his eyes as he wept into his son’s cloak.

“Oh Steel, I’m so sorry I abandoned you and your brother all those years ago, I know now that my brother lied to me, but when I tried to find you, you and Daniel were gone! Is your brother alright? I don’t see him with you…” his father then said, a worried look appearing on his face.

“Daniel’s fine,” Steel said heading inside with his father while having his pets guard the house, “He and I went our separate ways a month ago, but after you abandoned us, a man named Robert Weissritter found us and took us in. He taught us how to hunt and handle animals, and he treated us well. He told us our gift wasn’t a Cacodaemon’s power at all.”

“I know, it was because of the heart and liver of that golden bird I saw that gave you that power, Gaines bragged about it while he was drunk,” Thomas then said sadly, “I confronted him about it, but he told me that if I told anyone in town, he’d kill me!”

“What?” Steel said in surprise, he knew his uncle was cruel, but to threaten his own brother with death? That was unheard of as far as he knew!

“Is that why he wanted that bird?” Steel then asked, causing his father to nod.

“Yes, because of the ability the heart and liver grant,” he said, “Sadly, I… cannot go out into the wood anymore to find rushes, so my apprentice has gone out to do that work for me. All I can do for now is bind brooms, while Edith searches for rushes every day in the wood for me, and teach her my craft. She’s a kind girl, my precious son, I’m sure she’d make a fine wife for you or Daniel someday.”

“I see,” Steel said as he blushed a bit, “Anyway father, you look ill, and I have some deer I killed in the wood before I arrived in town. Do you want me to cook some of it for you in a stew?”

“As much as I appreciate the gesture, I…. I fear that my situation prevents me from eating a good meal,” Thomas then said with a sigh, before taking off his glove and showing his son a skeletal hand beneath the leather. “I’ve been cursed for my sin, and only the forgiveness of both my sons can help me rest in peace.”

“Who did this to you?” Steel then said, “I do forgive you, always have, but I need to know.”

“Sadly, I’m forbidden from saying even their name, or anything about them,” Thomas said tiredly as he replaced his glove, “In a few years time, I’ll be nothing but bone. I can hide my condition for now, but I will have to hide eventually, else I may get thrown out of town.”

“I see,” Steel said sadly, before he had an idea, “Is Gaines still alive?”

“Well, yes,” Thomas then said, before a worried expression appeared on his bony and withered face, “What do you plan to do, Steel?”

“Just have a talk with him, nothing more,” Steel said as he tried to assure his father, “Nothing more, nothing less.”

“I see,” Thomas then said with a sigh, “Please, be careful when you see Gaines, he hasn’t been the same since his wife was murdered by a thief years ago.”

“Aunt Jenny was murdered?” Steel said in surprise, “How long ago?”

“Two years after my biggest mistake,” Thomas said sadly, “May she rest in peace.”

“Yeah,” Steel said with a nod, “Anyway, I’ll cook some stew for us, even if it won’t help you, Father, I still want to treat you along with my pets.”

“Pets?” Thomas asked in surprise, before realization hit him, “You mean those beasts outside the house are with you!?”

Steel laughed in acknowledgment towards his father, and while he brought in the butchered meat he had with him, he regaled his father with the story of how he and Daniel each gained their pets, and the adventures they had in their travels for the rest of the day and well into the night.

~0~

“So wait,” Crandall said, once again interrupting the story, “Curses exist?”

“Yeah,” Steel said, while Mint decided to speak next.

“I never knew that Sinatra could speak,” said the young shapeshifter, “Did she lose her voice? Also, how are your pets still alive? As long as I’ve known them, they haven’t aged at all…

“They each made a deal with Death to stay with me,” Steel then explained, “They also gave up something important to them in order to stay by my side until I found a way to remain dead, but I don’t want to talk about that right now. I need to continue the story.”

The two boys then joined Polly once again in silence as Sebastian wheeled in a cart full of sandwiches for lunch, all while the image in the whiskey bubble changed from a happy adult Steel to a more serious man standing alone before the door to the rather ominous looking manor of his uncle Gaines.

~0~

Steel Finch followed his uncle's servant, a maid in a long, dark green dress with a white apron with brown hair and eyes. She didn’t say much, but as Steel looked into her eyes, he saw how dead they looked, as if something happened to her to suck the joy out of life. Though, as he considered the fact that she worked for his uncle, it was clear that working for such a cruel man would have its consequences.

When they reached Gaines’ dining room, they could hear the man of the hour shouting at someone, before the doors swung open and a young man ran out of the room. Steel moved out of the way to avoid being sent to the floor by the runaway, but as he looked into the room, he saw shards of glass on the floor near the wall of the gold and marble dining room. Steel knew full well that this man had gotten richer since he last saw him, and as the well-dressed and chubby man went back to his meal, he paused when he realized that he once again had company.

“Ingrid, who is this?” Gaines Finch the asked, his graying black hair looking a little greasy as if he tried to hide his age with something.

“He… didn’t give me a name, he just said he was a huntsman,” the poor woman said, causing Gaines to glare as he stared at Steel.

“Well, Huntsman, what’s your name?” Gaines then asked, causing Steel to smirk a bit and decide to be a little dramatic.

“Why Uncle Gaines, don’t you recognize one of your own nephews?” Steel then said with an exaggerated sigh as Gaines started to pale in fright, “You must be getting on in years if you can’t even recognize the boy you stated had the eyes of a daemon.”

“St-Steel!” Gaines then said in realization and fear while silently dismissing the maid so that uncle and nephew could have some privacy, “Why would you come back to Gol?”

“Just going where the road takes me,” Steel said casually, “And when I found myself back in Gol, I figured I just _ had _ to see my family and let them know I and my brother are alive.”

“Is Daniel in Gol as well?” Gaines asked, only for Steel to shake his head, “I see. And what of your father?”

“My father seems to have been cursed until he gets forgiveness from both myself and Daniel, and yet he can’t say who cursed him,” Steel then said darkly as he glared at his uncle, who was now sweating greatly while Steel fingered the crossbow at his hip, “You wouldn’t happen to know anything, would you?”

Gaines, seeing the crossbow panicked as he stood up and shouted, “So I cursed my brother with undeath! He deserved it for abandoning his own sons!”

Steel’s glare hardened even further now, his heart racing as he felt the love he had for his father give him courage as he started to slowly walk towards his vile uncle.

“You _ monster,” _ he said, his body starting to glow a faint blue, “If you hadn’t tricked him like you did, then my brother and I would still be in Gol, and my father would have a small fortune saved up thanks to our ability. But you couldn’t handle that, could you? So you tricked him with your lies and cursed him for finding out the truth! Your greed for gold and jealousy caused this mess for our family, and I hope  _ you never see even a glint of gold for the rest of your life.” _

That was when something strange happened. Steel watched as though his uncle was frozen in place by some unknown force. Then, Steel saw his shadow extend from its place on the marble floor and slithered like a snake towards Gaines, before enveloping the man in darkness. When the shadow returned to normal a few seconds later, Steel felt the light around him fade away, while Gaines looked around the room in horror.

“M-My gold!” he said, before glancing down at the rings he wore, “I-I can’t see my gold! Oh! I am ruined!”

While the greedy man lamented his fate, Steel silently turned around and left the room, surprised by the light that had surrounded him and the act of actually cursing his uncle. After returning to his father’s home, he collected his beasts and left his father with a bag of gold coins he had saved over the years to help with finances before bidding his father farewell for what would turn out to be the final time.

Much later on, Steel would find himself back at the crossroads where he and his brother had parted ways. He examined the daggers and while he saw the blade of his own still bright, his body grew cold when he saw that the blade of his brother’s knife had halfway rusted over.

“Daniel!” Steel shouted, now worried about the trouble his brother had gotten into, and immediately ran to the west with his beasts chasing him.

He didn’t know that rescuing his brother would lead to a major change in his life.

~0~

“Now, here comes the part where I became immortal,” Steel said to the teens, the images in the whiskey bubble changing as he told his tale, “See, when I arrived in town, everyone seemed to mistake me for Daniel, even his wife. Turns out, my brother killed himself a seven headed dragon, was killed, revived by his beasts with the use of a magic root, and saved his fiance again. Then, he went hunting to try and avoid the responsibilities of being a nobleman, much to his father in law’s annoyance.”

“So, what, did you sleep with his wife or something?” Crandall then asked, earning him a dark look from Steel as Mint and Polly looked horrified that the young superhero would even suggest something like that in the first place.

“No, she tried to sleep with me, as you put it, but I placed a sword between us before heading out the next morning to follow my brother’s trail to find out what happened to him,” Steel said coldly, “And that little adventure led me into the woods near that town, where my beasts and I found a white deer and chased it until we were deep into the woods, and deep in trouble…”

~0~

It was dark in the woods when Steel and his beasts lost sight of the white deer, and they realized they had to stay in them overnight. Strangely, there was already signs of a camp where they stopped, and so Steel started a fire at the site. While relaxing by the fire with his beasts and messing with the silver buttons on his borrowed clothes, he soon heard a voice and looked up to see an old woman in a tree.

_ Well, that’s suspicious, _ he thought as he locked eyes with the old woman, causing her to flinch as if she recognized something before she collected herself and spoke again.

“Oh! Oh! How cold I am! I am freezing!” she said dramatically, causing Steel to glare at the woman in suspicion.

“If you are cold, old mother, then come down and warm yourself by the fire,” Steel said bluntly, really not in the mood for this as the woman looked at his glaring beasts and shook her head.

“No!” she cried out, “Your animals will bite me!”

“I assure you, that they won’t,” Steel said, knowing how well behaved his pets were.

“I can’t trust them!” the old woman said, before getting an evil gleam in her eye as she pulled a switch off her belt, “Here, I will throw you this little switch, if you strike them gently across the back, then they will be unable to hurt me!”

That did it. Steel instead pulled his crossbow off his hip and aimed it at the woman in the tree and told her, “No, I will not strike my animals! Now, come down here or I will shoot you!”

“You cannot hurt me!” the witch said smugly, “So do as you like!”

Steel took a shot at the woman, only to find his steel bolt did nothing at all, before he realized what this woman was. She was a hag, a vile monster that was invulnerable to all but silver or magical weapons. Knowing that he was in trouble as she laughed, but remained in her tree. Steel also realized that if she recognized him, then perhaps his brother had fallen for her trap, and this thought angered him.

His love for his brother filled his mind as he tore off three silver buttons as once more his body glowed with a blue light while he wished he had a silver bolt to fire at the wish. And then, as if by magic, he felt the three buttons turn into a beautifully made bolt, which he then immediately loaded it onto his crossbow and fired it at the hag’s shoulder, knocking her from the tree. Then, he ran over and pinned her in place with his foot, a wicked look on his face as he spoke to her.

“Now then, I’m only going to say this once since I hate to repeat myself,” he then said coldly, “You are going to lead me to where my brother and all your other victims are hidden, restore them to normal and swear that you will not take revenge on me and leave this forest alone. If not, then I will burn you in my campfire and feed your remains to my pets, understand?”

The hag nodded quickly, knowing that she was overpowered as the man continued to glow blue with love for his brother. It didn’t take long for the hag to lead Steel to a grave, inside of which being nothing but stone statues of various people and animals. Steel watched as the hag quickly used her magic switch to restore her victims to life, including his brother who seemed confused and disoriented about what was going on, before he saw his brother’s maroon eyes.

“Steel!?” Daniel then said, the man still as fit as ever like his twin, the two brothers still looking identical except for their eyes. They both wore a dark green hunting coat with silver buttons over a brown vest and matching pants, their black hair cropped short and their skin tanned from their time outdoors.

“Daniel!” Steel said, before hugging his brother and steadying him until the disorientation passed. Once it did, the two brothers looked at the hag, who was trying to sneak away before two lions got into her path.

“Thanks Aurelio!” Steel told the lion on the right, noticing that his brother’s pets now wore coral jewelry around their necks, though he didn’t really know where it all came from. However, his own lion merely nodded, before the witch tried to escape again, only to be blocked off by two bears, then two wolves, two foxes and two hares. Realizing that she was surrounded, the hag got on her knees and started pleading for mercy.

“Please, spare me!” she said, before Daniel glanced at his brother.

“You know something Steel,” the blue-eyed twin then said, “I don’t think it would be very responsible to let this hag live, what say you to just throwing her into the fire?”

“Wow, Daniel, that’s the most responsible thing you’ve said since I can remember,” Steel said dryly as both twins laughed at the joke. Then, they both tied up the hag and threw her into Steel’s campfire. Once the hag was nothing but ashes, the dark forest started to brighten, and both men saw the castle that Daniel called home in the distance.

“So, she had the whole forest cursed!” Daniel said with a proud laugh, as the blue light around Steel faded once again, while Steel watched as the other victims of the hag quickly went back to town on the newly cleared path. As the twins and their pets followed after them, the brothers Finch started to talk about what happened after they had went their separate ways.

“So,” Steel started as he was the elder twin, “I saw our father after finding my way back to Gol… he’s not doing well.”

“What do you mean?” Daniel asked in confusion, “I figured he’d be better off after abandoning us all those years ago!”

“He’s been cursed by Gaines, and it can’t be broken unless both of us forgive our father,” Steel said sternly, “I already gave him my forgiveness, now it’s up to you.”

“I’ll see what I can do,” Daniel said dismissively, “And what of our vile uncle and his wife?”

“Gaines was doing well, until I cursed him to be unable to see even a gleam of gold,” Steel said, “As for Aunt Jenny, she died some time ago- murdered by a thief from what Father told me… he only has a few years left you know, before his curse is complete.”

“What is the nature of his curse, anyway?” Daniel then asked.

“He’s been cursed to be unable to rest in peace until he’s forgiven by both of us, this apparently means that he’s turning into a skeleton,” Steel said sadly, while Daniel remained silent. This silence lasted a good while, until the brothers were halfway to Daniel’s castle.

“So, I’m a prince now,” Daniel then said smugly, “I rescued my bride from a seven-headed dragon an--”

“I heard all about it,” Steel said, “When I got here, everyone thought I was you, including your wife. She even made me share her bed a---”

Before he could even finish his sentence, he heard the sound of a sword being unsheathed, before everything went black.

~0~

“...And that’s how I died for the very first time,” Steel then said, pointing to his neck and the scar that surrounded it- “Found out my brother sliced my head off before I could explain what I did to save face with his wife after he revived me.”

“Did he use the magic root to revive you?” Polly then asked, breaking her silence as Steel nodded.

“Yeah, though while it was supposed to be applied to an injury to heal it and then placed in the dead’s mouth to revive them… Daniel decided to just stick the sucker into my spine and then put my head back on my body. When I came back, I discovered a new ability that only I can do- the ability to see a person’s life from their past, to their present to their most likely future.”

“Wait, is that what you meant by a bad end back in Thornsborough?” Crandall then said as he recalled their first meeting, “What sort of ending did you see for me?”

Steel was silent at first, as if unsure how to explain what he saw, before sighting and running his fingers through his long black hair.

“I saw what looked like a trial taking place,” Steel said, “Some shadowy guy I couldn’t make out was heading it and was basically sentencing you to prison time from what I could tell.”

The description soon caused both Polly and Crandall to pale at the description, causing Steel to realize that they knew who he was talking about. However, it was young Mint who stood up from the chair he was sitting in before, who spoke.

“Polly, Crandall, is something wrong?”

“Mint, I think Mister Finch saw the Tactician in Crandall’s future,” Polly said, earning a look of confusion from both Steel and Mint.

“Polly, you might need to explain to us who that is,” Steel then said, while the girl nervously nodded and did her best to explain to the two Fanterrans a little more about her world.

~0~

Meanwhile, back on Earth, the Tactician was in his temporary and portable lab in Swing Town, the man in question sitting at a desk and overlooking files on Dynamo and his missing wife. He had his reasons for looking into them, as he did everything else, but as he raised his head, he couldn’t quite shake the feeling that someone was talking about him.

Probably nothing to worry about.

As the man in the shadows flipped a gloved hand through Dynamo’s file, he thought about how the hero had decided to raise his son alone after fighting his wife, Lucy Faire for custody during the divorce. Not to mention that Dyna Lad’s record since his debut two years ago had been clean- a bit too clean in his opinion. At least, it was until the incident in Shoresville a couple of weeks ago.

This, combined with the fact that Lucy Faire simply vanished right after the divorce certainly raised questions for the Tactician, and as he looked at the picture of the blonde woman with bright blue eyes and a green dress, he couldn’t help but feel that she looked almost identical to Lady Wonder, though Lucy was on the skinnier side when compared to the muscular woman he knew on the council he controlled. While she was certainly a pretty face, The Tactician was more interested in her disappearance. It was rather suspicious, in his opinion, that she would vanish so soon after her ex-husband won the custody case for her son, not to mention the divorce itself. It was so sudden, and Lucy had no history of violence, drugs, or anything illegal that could endanger her own son, and yet she not only lost the custody battle, but also lost almost everything in the divorce as well.

“Something is rotten in Denmark, as the saying goes,” The Tactician said with his voice modulator on, making him sound like both a woman and a man speaking in unison.

Before he could contemplate further, his phone buzzed on the desk. Picking it up and turning it on, he saw that the reminder he made for himself was on screen, and he quickly put away his files before walking to the center of the room and clicking a button on a cube-shaped device. In moments, the lab vanished leaving only a rather nice looking hotel room, and the tactician decided to turn on his mask- a holographic projector in the collar of his white shirt that encased his face in constant shadow. Then, he grabbed his black fedora and headed out of his room and to his limo.

The Tactician was in Swing Town on business, and his first stop was to head to The Symphonia to talk to Troy Dunnin.

After all, Troy had some important information from what he could tell, especially since Kite Sid had given the boy something in the videos he’d seen online.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this chapter ended up being 19 pages in Google Docs. And originally in my story notes, Crandall was supposed to start the chapter arriving at the manor. However, I felt I needed to give Rosa one last farewell before that, and so we got the scene at the start that I wrote in.
> 
> Also, because this chapter was nearing 20 pages, I had to cut some things, specifically talk about The Council and the Tactician before cutting to the Tactician himself.
> 
> Anyway, Steel's story is based on the tale of The Twin Brothers, by the Brother's Grimm, and I decided to tell it from the Point of View of the Older Brother because so little is known about his side of the story other than the fact that when he went to rescue his brother, he had nothing but his pets, so I decided to figure out an explanation as to what happened to his money.
> 
> So, that led to the older brother, Steel, visiting his father and uncle in Gol.
> 
> Also, I swear that Robert Weissritter looks and sounds like a fairy tale version of All Might in my head, it wasn't intentional either since I haven't read anything related to My Hero Academia in a long time.
> 
> Anywho, yes, since I don't know when it will come up again, here's what Steel's pets gave up for immortality:
> 
> Aurelio the lion- his sense of humor.  
> Jovi the bear- his Wisdom  
> Steppen the Wolf- his Sight  
> McCloud the Fox- his sly wit  
> Sinatra- her voice.
> 
> Anyway, next time we're going back to Earth for a chapter focusing on Troy, and we may learn something about Polly as well...
> 
> Finally, I have a discord set up for feedback, so if you're interested in helping with the story, please come by for a visit!  
> https://discord.gg/aPZAtQs


	14. The Tactician

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Tactician arrives in Swingtown

Bill Dunnin was on the Farming Deck of Symphonia, a place that was supposed to be where food was farmed back when the ship was able to fly through space. However, as Bill found out as a child, the deck had malfunctioned and became overgrown with plantlife to the point that it was sometimes hard to get through the deck when he needed to get by to another part of the ship whenever the elevator was out. Sure, he managed to fix the elevator so he could get to the lower decks of the ship, but he still liked to visit the farm deck whenever he wanted to be around nature in a controlled environment.

Especially since he now had a dinosaur to take care of in the form of Daisy the ankylosaurus. While he loved his pet and how she helped keep the overgrowth of the deck under control by eating it, Bill did have a corral built for her to sleep in since she was too wide for a stable, but he didn’t mind as he took a pitchfork full of giant leaves and shoveled them into the feeding trough while he wore a set of overalls over a t-shirt and black rubber boots.

He smiled as he watched Daisy eat her meal before he started thinking about his past.

Bill had always been a bright child, always inventing and tinkering much to his mother’s annoyance, to the point that he was often in trouble for being too smart at home, while his twin brother Darius was the Golden Child that could do no wrong. Mainly because Darius was the normal twin compared to the tech genius that was little Billy Dunnin.

It didn’t help that Bill’s stepfather was a cult leader, however, and always treated Darius with the kindness he withheld from Bill until he found out what that reason was at thirteen years old. He learned from his stepfather that the cult’s worship of twins was that one twin born in the cult would always be sacrificed to empower the other at age fifteen, which gave Bill only two years to live if he stayed home like a good little boy.

Bill was out of there in two months after that. Not because of a call to CPS, but due to a now-retired villain known as Black Bullet just coming in one night and helping him escape the compound. Darius had stayed behind, not wanting to leave his family behind, and so Bill escaped with the infamous villain who brought him to Swingtown so that the boy would live with his uncle. 

Unfortunately, when they arrived at the uncle’s home, they learned that the man was dead thanks to the cult, and they were looking for Bill to bring him back into the fold.

So, the Black Bullet fought them off to let Bill escape into the woods behind his uncle’s house, where he kept running deeper and deeper until he found a spaceship overgrown with moss and vines.

Bill was drawn out of his thoughts then by Symphonia’s voice, looking behind him to see the hologram of the ship’s AI.

“Oh, Symphonia,” he said once he was back with the world, only to see the holographic woman’s stern face looking right at him.

Uh oh. In his experience, that usually wasn’t good.

“You were thinking about the cult again, weren’t you?” Symphonia then asked, causing Bill to nod as she continued, “Honestly, after what they carved into your arm, I’m glad that Black Bullet saved you, what’s more, your intelligence is wasted thinking about the people who hurt you.”

“I know,” Bill said, before moving onto another subject, “So, is there a reason you’re here on the Farming Deck, Symphonia?”

“There’s a visitor outside,” Symphonia then said, getting more of Bill’s attention.

“Is it Silver Thruster here to finally apologize and pay me back that hundred dollars?” Bill then asked, “Or is it Phantasmagoria here to try and stop me from some perceived act of villainy again?”

“Neither,” Symphonia said, causing Bill to look annoyed, though that was more due to the money and apology he was owed than the superheroine that didn’t get the memo that he changed sides. However, he was stopped from asking the obvious question by Symphonia getting straight to the point, “However, a car marked with the Council’s seal is parked outside my hull, and it seems that the Tactician himself is outside waiting for entry.”

Bill paled at this information. He had completely forgotten that The Tactician was heading the investigation into the incident that happened in Shoresville, and also realized that they needed to talk, now.

“Symphonia, start up a call between me and the Tactician. Now,” he said, and with a nod, the holographic woman was soon joined by the image of a man in a black suit with white accents, and the man’s face completely blurred out by darkness. The man’s arms were crossed, and while Bill knew that the real Tactician was talking to a hologram as well, he didn’t care and just wanted this over with.

“Hello, Mister Dunnin,” The Tactician said, his voice sounding like both a man and a woman’s in order to hide his identity better.

“Tactician, I am surprised to see you in Swing Town so soon,” Bill then said, while the male hologram simply nodded.

“I like to be spontaneous with my investigations,” The Tactician then said, “It keeps people from trying to hide things quickly. Now then, I’ve seen the videos posted online about the Shoresville Incident a couple of weeks ago, but I need your testimony as well as your son’s. Is he around?”

“Troy is at Polly’s house, helping her family out while their daughter is away,” Bill then said, “I would be happy to tell you what I know about the incident if it will help your investigation, Tactician.”

“Thank you,” The Tactician then said with a nod, and Bill could have sworn he felt like the faceless man was smiling! “So, please do tell me what you were doing with Polly in Shoresville? As you were on vacation, you weren’t supposed to be doing any villainy per council rules.”

“I was indeed taking a break from villainy,” Bill said, “however, since I packed my costume in case I decided to do some heroics instead, I figured I was still playing by the no-villainy rule. I was also letting my son hang out with his friend Polly with her parent’s permission. I also brought along the Tidal Amplifier to test it in Shoresville since I invented the machine for recreational use only, nothing more, nothing less. I don’t know how Dyna Lad found us, or why he destroyed my machine. Hell, he should have known I was on vacation since the council rules state that a villain or hero must mention a vacation on social media, but must keep any other information to themselves!”

“I see,” The Tactician said after a moment, “So, you have no idea why Dyna Lad was even at Shoresville?”

“None at all,” Bill said sincerely.

“Interesting,” The Tactician then said, before turning his head towards something and adding, “I’ll be there in a moment Erika, I’m almost done!”

With that, the Tactician turned back to Bill and added, “We’re done here, Mister Dunnin, it was a pleasure talking to you.”

“I just want to see this through to the end,” Bill said politely, while the Tactician nodded in agreement.

“As do I, farewell,” The Tactician said before his hologram vanished from sight. Once he was sure it was just him and Symphonia, Bill immediately pulled out his phone and sent a text to his son.

_ The Tactician is in town and knows where you are, do not leave The Andrews residence. _

All he got was a thumbs up emoji in return. Feeling relieved that his message was received, Bill was about to head out of the Farming Deck, before Daisy started making noise and nudged the feeding trough.

“Alright, alright!” he said with a laugh before he went back to filling the trough with giant leaves, a smile on his face as he realized that despite the weirdness that came from living in the super community, he honestly wouldn’t have it any other way.

For Bill Dunnin, life was a perfect, wonderful mess.

~0~

Kate Wilson was standing at the corner of Kirby Lane and Simone Avenue, trying to remember just where on the former Polly’s house was located. She’d only been there once for a school project two years ago and hadn’t been there since, and as the sixteen-year-old blonde hummed in thought, she found herself thinking about her target, Troy Dunnin the king of the outsiders.

To Kate, he was at first just another fream, or outsider, until a certain internet video revealed he was related to the local c-lister villain, The Anachronism. That video also showed Kite Sid making Polly and her former boyfriend Dyna Lad also vanish from the face of the earth, but for Kate, that meant she didn’t have any competition until they returned. Sure, Polly now had white hair for some reason, but to be friends with the son of a C-lister? That was surprising to learn! What’s more, Troy had superpowers like Lady Wonder, an S-lister in Kate’s mind, which made his relationship with The Anachronism of all people even more surprising!

Still, she honestly couldn’t believe that Troy Dunnin or even her former crush Dyna Lad would go for someone like Polly Andrews. To Kate, that girl seemed to have it all, two boys pining for her heart, a complete family, and now that she was gone, Kate should be the most popular girl in town! She should have the boy all over her since she was beautiful, she had money, and her father was the mayor so she had power as well. She should be the one who the heroes want, not sweet little Polly Andrews. She honestly didn’t even know what Dyna Lad even saw in Polly when the two were dating, and yet she got to play the hero’s girlfriend. Honestly, Polly should have hooked up with Eric Hertz, since he had a crush on her too, he just wasn’t able to admit it in time.

Speaking of Eric, ever since Troy’s powers manifested, the boy had been staying home, most likely due to being grounded by his father the Sheriff, same with Eric’s friends Billy and Jimmy. Why those two goons hung out with the sheriff’s boy was beyond Kate’s understanding, but then again, he just assumed they wanted a slice of power or influence that the Sheriff’s son had in school. 

As Kate started walking along Kirby Lane to Polly’s house, her thoughts went back to Troy. As far as she was concerned, he had the potential to be not only a good boyfriend but also a good superhero as well. At least an A-lister in her mind, maybe even put on the exclusive S-list like his mother as well. Definitely more powerful than Dyna Lad, in her mind. Sure, Dyna Lad’s grandfather was on the S-list too, but so far, Dyna Lad was only on the B-list, better than the Anachronism, but still not quite good enough for her standards. To her, even his father was more impressive as an A-list hero than Dyna Lad was as a B-lister.

Still, he was rather impressive to start off as a B-list hero than the lowest rank of D-listers, the most obscure and unimpressive heroes known to the world. So, because of his impressive rank starting out, Kate had a crush on him. He was powerful, strong, and attractive, but with him gone and Troy manifesting his own powers, Kate had moved on to bigger prey, so to speak.

She was interrupted in her thoughts by the arrival of a black, hovering limo pulling up next to her. Though, what was most surprising was the logo on the side of the car- that of a white circle holding a stylized “CHV”. Kate recognized this as the logo of the group that basically ran the world of heroes and villains- The Council of Heroics and Villainy.

Kate watched the window roll down, the interior of the limo being a little on the dark side, but she could make out a woman with long brown hair, a black suit, and glasses. There was also a man looking out the window of the car, and judging by his lack of face, she realized instantly who this man was.

“Excuse me,” the woman then said in a German accent, getting back Kate’s attention, the woman’s gray-ish blue eyes striking her as somewhat familiar, “Can you tell me if the Andrews family are still living on Kirby Lane?”

“I’m pretty sure they are,” Kate said, “I’m heading over there myself to see how they are doing since Polly disappeared.”

“I see,” the woman then said, seemingly buying Kate’s lie, before she opened the door to the limo, “Since we have the same goal, why don’t you join us on our ride? It should be better than walking, at least.”

“Oh! Thank you very much!” Kate said with a smile, happily getting into the car- it wasn’t every day that someone from the Council offered you a ride, after all.

~0~

Meanwhile, at the Andrews residence, Fred Andrews was sitting on the couch next to his sister’s friend, Troy. While he was passing the time sketching his next painting, he couldn’t help but notice Troy was nervous about something. Most likely, it was due to the fact that he received a text from his father saying that the Tactician was in town looking for him. Sure, he could understand why Troy was afraid, the Tactician was basically running the world of heroes and villains through the Council itself, not to mention it was very rare for him to head an investigation in the first place!

Though, he couldn’t help but feel that annoying feeling of impending doom again, especially as he sketched out the face of Queen Anastasia Buckland while Troy watched the crystal ball he was given. The image he saw showing Polly practicing some sort of spell that created a phantom, serpentine dragon for a moment, before it immediately faded away. Fred was ecstatic that his sister was learning magic, and wondered if she might be able to teach him a few things when she got back. He was always interested in magic and practiced sleight of hand whenever he wasn’t painting as he felt it was the closest thing he could get to using actual magic. Sure, there were magic-using heroes, but they were hard to find, and they were really never willing to give up their secrets, much less take up a sidekick to train as well.

But, until his sister returned, he’d have to settle for stage magic and painting.

As Fred started sketching out Anastasia’s apprentices, Ib and Diego, he stopped to adjust his black sleeve just when he heard a knock at the door. Troy quickly put the crystal ball into his pocket, while Fred himself got up to see who was knocking.

When he opened the door, he was met with a faceless man in black leaning on a cane, and after a moment of silence, the man in black soon spoke.

“May we come in?” he said, his voice sounding like two people speaking at once before Fred looked past the man to see Kate Wilson coming out of the Council Limo. Now, what was she doing here?

He didn’t have a chance to think about it as just after he saw Kate start walking up the driveway, he saw a woman in a black suit carrying a suitcase follow after Kate.

Oh no. 

As Fred moved to the side to let The Tactician into the living room, he immediately called out to his mother in the kitchen, “Mom! Aunt Erika’s here!”

“What!?” cried his mother, before she rushed into the living room just in time to see Erika and Kate, as well as the Tactician quietly moving away from the door and towards the couch where Troy was sitting. However, before addressing her sister, Fred’s mother decided to first address Kate.

“Kate Wilson, what are you doing here?” Mrs. Andrews then asked sternly, “As I recall, you and my daughter do not get along.”

Judging by the surprised look on Aunt Erika’s face, it was clear that Kate must have told her a different story, as Kate did her best to keep her cool under the older woman’s steely gaze.

“I was simply here to check up on your family, Mrs. Andrews,” Kate said cooly, while Fred could immediately tell she was lying, he wasn’t sure how, but he felt like he had some sort of sensor to detect when someone was lying. 

“How do I know you’re not here to try and see Troy?” Fred then asked, “He’s told us that you’ve been following him around, trying to get him to date you.”

Kate frowned slightly at this, before giving a cold smile to Fred.

“And how do you know Troy isn’t lying to you?” Kate then asked, causing Fred to glare at her, “Yes, I’ve been trying to befriend him, but I wouldn’t be caught dead with the King of the Freams.”

“Don’t call him that,” Fred then said, keeping up his glare as he sensed another lie coming from Kate. “Also, you’ve seen him, so please leave, Kate, and don’t come by here again.”

“Fine,” Kate said in annoyance, before leaving the house, and also leaving behind a confused Erica as clapping was heard coming from the couch. Turning to see the Tactician clapping his black-gloved hands together, Fred couldn’t help but wonder what the man’s deal was before he spoke again.

“Well, that was fun,” he said in his double-voiced tone before he turned to Fred’s mother, “Mrs. Andrews, I have business with Troy, may we use your kitchen to conduct it in private?”

“Yes, of course,” the woman in the green dress said, before looking at Troy, “Troy, can you show the Tactician to the kitchen? I need to have words with our other guest.”

“Yes Ma’am,” Troy said as he got off the couch, and was followed out of the room by the man in black. This left Fred and his mother alone with his aunt, Erica, and as the older woman adjusted the silver pin on her suit, she smiled at her sister and spoke.

“So, it’s been awhile, hasn’t it Ilse?” Erika then said while Friend's mother nodded, “And look at you, Frederic! You’ve grown so much in the past four years since my last visit!”

“I know, Aunt Erika,” Fred then sighed, suffering a hug from his aunt, before she spotted his sketch on the coffee table.

“Oh, and still painting I see!” she then said with a smile, though Fred knew she was trying to cut through the awkwardness of her unannounced visit.

“Yes, Aunt Erika,” Fred said before his mother asked the obvious question.

“Erika, what are you doing here?” she asked, “I thought you would be back in Germany handling the family business!”

“I know, I know,” Erika said, “However, when I learned last week what happened to Polly, I knew I had to be here to support you, Ilse. You know full well how much I understand losing a loved one.”

That was true, Fred thought. Aunt Erika lost her husband in a freak accident some years after his cousin was born. He didn’t know all the details, however, but because of his aunt's work for The Council, the machine that caused the accident had been completely banned when it came to devices allowed by the Council, just so no one else would suffer as she did.

“And what about your work?” Ilse then asked, “As much as Kurt and I appreciate your support, you’re still on the Council!”

“I already cleared my absence with the Tactician as a family emergency,” Erika said dismissively, “Also, my son Hans is staying with his grandparents while I’m here in America, so Frederic won’t need to worry about sharing a room with him… especially after what happened last time we visited.”

Fred frowned at that memory, where his cousin Hans decided to “improve” his artwork by adding in a modern man in what was supposed to be a fantasy drawing. As Hans’ art style was more realistic than Fred’s slightly cartoony style, it was obvious what he had done. Still, Hans did apologize after his mother and aunt both tore him a new one about what he did when Fred and Polly both called him out on it the moment the discovery was made.

Last Fred had heard, Hans was busy taking down an art thief back in Germany as a way to try and be a hero.

“Aunt Erika, how is Hans doing?” Fred then asked, causing his aunt to smile.

“He is doing well, Frederic,” she said, “He is doing his best to bring our family back into its past glory as heroes as your great-grandfather Richter had done before the Nazis got involved and forced him to tarnish the family name.”

“I see,” Fred said, “Also… we need to talk about Polly’s situation.”

“What do you mean?” Erika then asked, only for Ilse to silently signal that she sit down on the couch. Once the older woman had done so, Fred’s mother sat down next to her while Fred picked up his sketch and went back to work on it, trying to get the details right on Ib’s wing as his mother decided to fill in her sister on what she missed out on so far.

“Erika, you know how much our grandfather respected the Dragoon as an opponent, don’t you?” Ilse then said, earning her a confused look from Erika as the other woman nodded, “Well… we found out that Kurt’s grandfather was Ridley Dragonson. And with Polly in another world, she’s inherited the mantle of the Dragoon herself.”

“What!?” Erika then said once things clicked for her, “How did you learn this!? And how is Polly doing in this other world? Surely you must have some way of knowing!”

“Troy was given a magic crystal by Kite Sid,” Ilse then said, “He’s been here as often as possible to help us keep tabs on Polly, and he even built us a device that serves the same function, but it can only show what Troy sees in the crystal when he’s using it. We’ve seen Polly learn magic, fight a villain and… Well, she has to find and befriend a dragon as part of her training as a Dragoon, according to that dragon who had the Dragoon’s Bracelet among his treasures.”

Erika was stunned by all this information, and as Fred saw a dark look on her face, he quickly pulled out the viewer Troy had given him out of his pocket and turned it on, sorting through the recorded files he made to show his aunt in silence the moment Polly became the new Dragoon.

After watching the video, Erika was still silent. Fred could tell that she was probably thinking of what to say. Considering that Ridley and Richter’s descendants had unknowingly married and had children meant that Fred and Polly both shared the blood of two of the most famous figures in the hero and villain communities, this would have been big news if it ever came out in the first place.

“We need to keep this a secret,” Erika then said, “While the Capes and Cowls Privacy Act will help, if word of this gets out to the news, I’m worried about what the media will do to spin it.”

“I know,” Ilse said quietly, “Also, you’ll not do any work in Swingtown while you’re here, right? You’ll just be my sister instead of your other identity?”

“Don’t worry, I’ll only use the energy whip in emergencies,” Erika said with a smile, “I have no plans on doing any villainy while I’m here in Swingtown. As Baroness von Schwarzgeist, you have my word, little sister.”

“Thank you, that’s all I ask,” Ilse said, before hugging her older sister, all while Erika gave Fred’s mother a gentle smile.

~0~

Troy Dunnin sat across from the Tactician in the Andrews family Kitchen, having just finished telling him everything that had happened back at Shoresville, and also about Polly’s situation as well. He even used the crystal ball he was given to show the man an image of Polly and Crandall leaving the Doll Manor with Steel and Mint. The Tactician’s face was unreadable thanks to it being blacked out somehow, but Troy couldn’t help but feel the man was interested as they listened in on a conversation between Mint and Crandall about the Code- the laws laid down by the Council that heroes and villains must follow when doing their jobs.

The Code consisted of things like how villains couldn’t build Doomsday Devices without Council Approval, or how heroes couldn’t put anyone in danger with their actions… the latter example being one that Dyna Lad violated now that he thought about it. 

“Interesting,” The Tactician then said as he snacked on a strip of bell pepper from a tray of veggies that Mrs. Andrews had laid out for a snack for Fred and Troy, “So, Miss Andrews is the true inheritor of the Dragoon Mantle. Finally, we can stop having to tell the other Dragoons that tried to fill the void during the Council’s Registration process to change their name…. Well, once Miss Andrews and Mister Barry return anyway. “

“How many people tried to become the next Dragoon, anyway?” Troy asked, recalling how back in the Fifties someone tried to become the next Dragoon using technology rather than magic before he was forced to change his name to Black Dragon because of how unpopular he was, as well as his mother slapping the man down when he challenged her to a fight to prove himself worthy of the title.

“At least 4,” The Tactician then said, “The one from the 50s was the more well known one, as well as the two from the 70s that were killed early on in their careers.”

“What about the fourth Dragoon?” Troy then asked, “What happened to them?”

“We don’t talk about the one from the 90s.” the Tactician said with a shudder, “I had to personally take that one down when he tried to fight the council. And believe me when I say that rotten jerk nearly killed me before my powers kicked in.”

That was when Troy remembered that incident from his history class. How the fourth Dragoon, Michael Lester tried to rebel against the Council and actually murder villains before the Tactician stepped in to take him down. Everyone learned that the mysterious head of the Council had the power to actually rewind damage done to his body as a form of regeneration. No one knew how it happened, or when, but as Troy remembered seeing the recordings of the Tactician’s arm flying off, stopping in midair and then flying back to reattach itself to the Tactician's body was something both frightening and kind of cool.

As for Michael Lester, he was defeated and sent to a maximum-security prison with consecutive life sentences, leaving behind a lone son who disowned him, while it was also revealed that Lester stole his tech from the late Dr. Dragon, a colleague of Troy’s father.

“Now then,” The Tactician then said, leaning on the table with interest as he changed the subject, “Are you sure you saw Dyna Lad destroy the Tidal Amplifier before rescuing Polly?”

“Yeah,” Troy said coldly, “I nearly drowned thanks to him, and I saw him go straight for the machine when he appeared in Shoresville.”

“I see,” The Tactician said as he steepled his fingers in front of the black void that was his face, “You realize of course, that this information could get Mister Barry in trouble, correct?”

“Yeah,” Troy said again, “Though, from what I’ve seen of him in that other world, I don’t think he was raised well by Dynamo.”

“And what makes you say that?” The Tactician asked.

“Well, for starters, I get the feeling that Dyna Lad was raised to be the perfect hero, but his father also probably isolated him up until he met Polly… I heard him say that Polly was his only friend once, which is why I have that theory.”

“It’s true that Dynamo keeps to himself a lot, but to force that on his son…” The Tactician then said to himself, before turning his attention to Troy once again, “Troy, I want you to keep me updated on the adventures Miss Andrews and Mister Barry are having, do you think you can do that?”

“So you want me to report to you directly?” Troy then asked, earning a nod from the Tactician, “Will this help your investigation?”

“Of course,” the Tactician said, “The more information I have, the better.”

“Alright, I’ll do it,” Troy then said, “Anything to give Dyna Lad a fair sentence.”

“Indeed,” The Tactician then said, before pulling a card from his breast pocket and handing it to Troy, “Here is my contact information, contact me however is most comfortable to you.”

“Thanks,” Troy then said, before looking down at the card to see all the ways he could get in touch with The Tactician- Social Media, phone number, even an id for the chat platform Havoc! This guy really seemed to be prepared for anything if he had this many ways to contact him personally. 

When Troy looked up from the card, he saw that the Tactician was gone, leaving him alone in the kitchen.

~0~

The Tactician sat down into his limo after saying his goodbyes to Baroness von Schwarzgeist and her family. He was honestly surprised to run into her at the airport near Swingtown, and figured since they were heading the same town, he could give her a ride while he conducted his business in Swingtown. Still, the things he learned were rather exciting, in his point of view, from the whole other world with its own heroes and villains, to the fact that Magic was much more common there!

The idea of magic itself was always intriguing to the Tactician, but he couldn’t think about that now. Instead, he had to sort out what he learned. So, after activating the on-board computer in his personal car, The Tactician started compiling his notes on not just Dyna Lad’s case so far, but also on what he learned today about Dynamo.

“Things are certainly getting interesting,” he said to himself as he opened up a separate case file for Dynamo and added the information he learned to it. Sure, it was only a theory, but if it was true that Dynamo actually abused his son by isolating him after the divorce, then it was also possible that Lucy Faire’s disappearance might not have been as mysterious as it seemed.

“Let’s see how far this rabbit hole goes,” The Tactician then said, before letting out a laugh in the privacy of his car. Perhaps, after all these years he’d finally get some answers about the strange divorce of Dynamo and put an end to this mystery once and for all.

And it was all thanks to Troy Carwyn Dunnin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, here we learn a few things, from Mr. Dunnin's backstory, as well as more about Kate Wilson. We also learn more about Polly's family and finally, we learn a bit about the world Polly and Dyna Lad are from.
> 
> In other words, we are learning quite a bit in this chapter!
> 
> Anywho, Black Bullet is basically this world's version of Deathstroke the Terminator from DC comics, though he has his reasons for saving Bill, I won't spoil them here.
> 
> We also have Baroness von Schwarzgeist, who I think isn't an Expy of anyone, but I could be wrong. There are so many comic book characters, it's hard to keep track sometimes.
> 
> And yes, Polly's got a supervillain AND a superhero in her family tree. Combined with the secret she's keeping about Troy's crush, she's probably got more secrets she's keeping as well.
> 
> We also see that Fred has a superpower of his own, but it's probably not useful for fighting crime directly unless there's more to it that has yet to awaken but time will tell.
> 
> Finally, it seems that as I said before, all is not as it seems in the House of Dyna... and the Tactician is going to try his best to find out what it is through Troy. In fact, what goes on in Fanterra may end up affecting Earth in the future as well...
> 
> Or not, never know with these stories!
> 
> Anyway, see ya next time, and also, feel free to join my development server if you want to help out with the story: https://discord.gg/aPZAtQs


	15. Encounter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Polly and her friends have an encounter with Kite Sid.

It was a nice day in the world of Fanterra- the sun was shining, birds were singing, and the bees were pollinating the flowers surrounding the Doll Manor. As for Polly Andrews, she and her companions were finally leaving the manor after staying there for another night to help repair some of the damage done by Roland’s shenanigans. However, during the stay, Polly noticed that Crandall seemed distant, and as the group led the two polished and maintained clockwork horses out the back gate of the manor to continue their journey to White Mountain, Polly decided once she had the chance, to talk with her ex-boyfriend and see what was going on.

That chance didn’t take long to come up as Steel decided they were making another pitstop on the way to White Mountain- the ruined village of Gol, to have a chat with Mint’s father Koichi about something related to their recent battle. While they rode on horseback on the road due to the dense forest around the ruined village making it hard to land if they went in from the sky.

So, since Polly was walking next to Crandall while Mint and Steel led the horses on foot, she decided to see what was bothering her ex.

“Hey Crandall, can we talk?” she then said, “It looks like something is bothering you.”

“It’s nothing,” the red-headed hero then said, causing Polly to sigh and run her fingers through her curly white hair.

“This is part of the reason I broke up with you,” she then said, catching his attention, “You never really talked to me when something was bothering you, if at all.”

“I-I talked to you,” Crandall said, only for Polly to shake her head.

“No, whenever I wanted to know more about you, you just avoided the topic to learn more about me instead,” she explained, “I hated being the center of attention, and not to mention Kate Wilson’s insane rivalry she seemed to have with me when it came to you.”

“Oh man, Kate bothered you too?” Crandall then said with a groan, “Sorry, Dad never told me that other girls could be a hazard to your SO when it came to well, having one.”

“Yeah,” Polly said, “She’d always try and steal you away with her schemes, or at least try to get me out of the picture so she could take my place as your girlfriend. I tried to tell her before summer this year that dating you wasn’t that great, but she wouldn’t listen.”

Crandall was quiet at that comment, causing Polly to realize she might have messed up somehow.

“Sorry, I shouldn’t have said that,” she said with a sigh, “I just want to know what’s bothering you, that’s all.”

“I’m… I’m afraid of what’s waiting for me when we get back home to our world, ok?” Crandall then said in annoyance, “I broke the Code when I put Troy in danger, making this my first offense when it comes to the Council’s rules. And with the Tactician and possible prison time in my future, I’m afraid I’ll fail my father by not reaching his standards of heroism.”

Polly was stunned. As far as she knew, this was the first time Crandall ever opened up to her like this. Usually, he would have tried to change the subject like he did back when they were dating, but to have this happen was honestly refreshing. Still, as her thoughts turned towards the Code, she honestly couldn’t help but feel sorry for Dyna Lad the hero, since his record so far didn’t have any of the offenses a newbie hero would have, though she did attribute that to Crandall’s father Dynamo personally teaching him.

“I’m sure that the Council will go easy on you since it’s a first offense,” Polly said, while Crandall gave a small, sad smile.

“Yeah… I mean, the future can change, right?” Crandall then said, though Polly also noticed that he seemed worried about something as the teen rubbed his neck a little nervously.

“What else is bothering you?” Polly then asked, causing Crandall to flinch.

“Just… found myself thinking about the fight against Roland,” he then said, walking along with Polly behind the horses, while Polly herself remained quiet and let Crandall continue, “I… the way Roland tried to kill me was similar to what Blackguard did to me.”

“Blackguard tried to kill you with electricity, though,” Polly said as she remembered that event quite clearly, “Not try to strangle you with magic.”

“Well, I think Blackguard tried to use magic on me,” Crandall then said, before sighing and adding, “I mean, when I got here I felt weak, and there wasn’t any Dynatite around from what I could see. And there wasn’t any Dynatite when Blackguard used that lightning spell on me. I’m honestly starting to think Dynasians are weak to magic.”

“Well, Blackguard did get defeated though, and so did Roland, though honestly, I think Roland was more dangerous,” Polly then said as she recalled the recent battle, while Crandall looked down at the ground.

“Yeah, and um… thanks for saving me both times,” Crandall then said, causing Polly to look at him in surprise.

“Y-You’re welcome, but what brought this on?” she then asked. Crandall then sighed and adjusted his waistcoat as he thought about his answer.

“I… I wanted to make up for what I said before,” he then said, “About civilians not getting involved in hero business. I was wrong to say that to you, but at the time, my pride was hurt by you rescuing me instead of the other way around. I have never been rescued before, Dad taught me how to use my powers to get out of most situations, so it just felt surreal to be the one saved. I guess I should have thanked you, because well, you were brave to put yourself in danger like that.”

“Apology accepted,” Polly said with a smile, causing Dyna Lad to stop and look relieved for a moment before he took on a more worried look.

“Listen, I know I was a bad boyfriend,” he said, “But if you’ll allow it, I wouldn’t mind starting over as friends.”

“That may be for the best,” Polly then said, “But don’t forget that a relationship of any type requires communication, at least that’s what my Aunt Erika said.”

“Isn’t she the one who runs the ranch with your Uncle Ken?” Crandall said, just as Mint stopped to turn and see what the two were doing, a worried expression on his face.

“No, that’s my aunt April,” Polly said with a sigh, “Aunt Erika is my German aunt on my mom’s side.”

“Oh…” Crandall said before realization crossed his face, “I need to keep a better track of your family.”

“You two aren’t arguing again, are you?” Mint said then, causing the other two teens to notice that he’d stopped walking to allow them to catch up to him and Steel, who was also looking a little annoyed about having to slow down their journey.

“No,” Polly said quickly, “Crandall and I decided to start over as friends, that’s all.”

“That’s good,” Mint said, clearly relieved to hear this, causing Polly to wonder for a moment if their fights really bothered him that much.

“So Mint,” she then said after a moment, “I know you were busy helping around the Doll Manor yesterday, but how are you doing after that battle against Rosa’s kidnapper?”

Mint paused for a moment, before rubbing his arm a bit sheepishly as he spoke.

“I’m doing my best to be fine, but I can’t stop thinking of that black bubble I was trapped in. I’d rather not feel like I’m going through every torture imaginable again.”

Polly and Crandall looked horrified at the description Mint had given them. Sure, they both heard him scream, but neither of them imagined that he endured that much pain!

“Did you write to your mom about it?” Polly asked, only to watch as Mint nodded in worry.

“Yes,” he then said, “But she hasn’t written back yet.”

“Hey,” Steel then said as he pointed ahead of the group once he got the teens’ attention, “Looks like we have company.”

True to his word, there was indeed a trio heading their way, the first person they noticed was a woman in a gray suit and long, matching skirt being followed by a green corgi that walked like it was a little smug about something. As the woman came closer, Polly could make out black hair tied back into a prim and proper up-do, while a small gray hat with a veil attached obscured part of her face. As for her companion, it was none other than Kite Sid, now wearing a grey suit with a shining badge on his lapel.

He was also yowling like a cat as the strange woman dragged him by the ear towards the group. Once they were close enough, Polly noticed two more things about the woman in gray- one that she had very annoyed looking sky-blue eyes, while the other thing was a star-shaped pendant on her neck. 

Finally, the pair stopped before the quartet and their horses before the woman threw Kite to the ground and spoke, causing Polly to catch a glimpse of heavily tattered butterfly wings.

“Explain yourself.  _ Now,” _ the woman then ordered Kite Sid, causing the man to get up and dust off his suit and give a glare towards the smug green corgi as he readjusted his jacket and spoke.

“Yes, Ma’am,” Kite said before looking to Polly.

“Um, pardon me for asking this, but what is going on?” she asked, before noticing that both Mint and Steel Finch seemed nervous about something.

“Well Polly, it’s about your wish I granted back in your world,” Kite began as he pulled out a pair of sunglasses from his coat pocket, “My boss here, Malefica, found out about it and now I’m in trouble for affecting your story in a major way.”

“What do you mean?” Polly then asked, “Are Crandall and I not supposed to be here?”

“Well… there’s no rule against it, but I did basically kidnap you both,” Kite said casing Crandall’s jaw to drop, “But there’s also a problem involving what role you may have been forced to play.”

“What do you mean, forced to play?” Polly then asked, only for Kite to point at the black mark on her hand.

“I’m talking about the mark of the Knight, it and other marks like it are a left over from the Blue Faerie Empire back when they were kidnapping humans from your world to act out certain stories,” Kite said “The marks similar to your dictated what role they would play in the stories and wouldn’t fade until removed by an Empire Appointed Godmother.”

“What did the marks do?” Crandall asked as he showed both of his hands after removing his gloves, “I don’t have a mark, but Polly does.”

“That’s strange,” Malefica then said, before answering Crandall’s question, “As for the marks, they subtly push a victim’s actions to follow their assigned role.”

“That’s basically mind control, isn’t it?” Polly and Crandall then said, while Mint merely looked on in horrified silence.

“You’re both right,” Kite said with a nod, “Which is part of the reason why we rebelled against the Empire alongside Puck the Hero. Anyway, I assume Crandall doesn’t have a mark on him due to his alien heritage, and the marks only appeared on pure humans, which is an interesting concept, to say the least.”

“We’ll discuss the boy later, Puss in Boots,” Malefica then said as the smug green corgi ran circles around Polly, causing the woman to look at the white-haired girl with a surprisingly gentle look as Kite seemed annoyed about something as the woman continued. “Now then, Polly was it? Would you like the mark removed?”

“Yes, please,” Polly said, before holding her hand out to the woman. She then watched as Malefica then pulled a thin, crystalline wand from her sleeve and muttered something under her breath that Polly could not make out. Then, she watched as the tip of the wand glowed a soft blue before Polly felt her hand start to sting. However, she did her best to ignore the pain and let Malefica do her job. Once the wand was moved away from her hand, Polly saw that the mark was completely gone- her hand was so clean, it was as if the mark was never there in the first place!

“There we go, spick and span,” Malefica then said as she slipped her wand back up her sleeve, before she asked, “How are you feeling now, dear?”

“I feel fine, despite the sting from that spell you used,” Polly said honestly as she picked up the green corgi that was circling them both, getting a feeling that it wouldn’t do to lie to this woman, “Was I supposed to feel any different?”

“Polly,” Malefica then said a bit more sternly while Kite Sid started silently stepping away only to be stopped by Steel Finch blocking his path with Silver Arrow, “Did you ever feel like your mind was in a fog when you arrived here? Or at all up until I removed that mark?”

“No, not at all,” Polly said, while the green corgi licked her arm and tried to wag his tiny tail while she held him, “Is that what Mind Control feels like?”

“Yes,” Malefica said with a glare, before turning to see Kite Sid’s failed escape, “Agent Puss in Boots! What did you do?”

“What makes you think I did anything?” Kite said, clearly annoyed at the use of his apparent codename, only for his boss to pull out her wand again and point it at him.

“Kite, you’re one of the best tricksters in the Curse Slingers Association,” she said, “There’s always something you’re up to. Now, tell me what you did, or I’ll  _ make _ you tell me, understand?”

“Yes ma’am,” Kite said with absolute fear in his yellowish-green eyes, before adding, “Polly is Ridley’s descendant, and I instated myself as the family’s personal Faerie Godfather. So, as part of my duties include blessing children… I decided to bless them with the freedom to choose for themselves.”

“What kind of gift is that?” Crandall asked before Polly realized what Kite Sid had done to not just her, but also to her family.

“I think he’s saying he’s made me and my family immune to mind control since we were born,” she said, surprising Malefica and Crandall as they turned to Kite Sid. As the feline faerie merely gave a shrug.

“She’s right,” Kite Sid said, “And it’s a good thing too if a certain lunkhead had plans for you like I suspect he does.”

“What do you mean by that?” Crandall said, only for Kite Sid to get a smirk on his face as he pulled out a pair of sunglasses and slipped them on.

“Sorry, but that’s classified, kid,” the faerie godfather then said as his pointed ears twitched a bit, “But, your mother may have more information if you really want to know about it. Especially since she may be willing to talk if she sees her little boy again.”

“Crandall’s mother is here in Fanterra?” Mint then asked, earning a nod from Kite Sid.

“No way!” Crandall then said, “Sure, my mom disappeared after the divorce, but that doesn’t mean she’s alive!”

Now this was news to Polly. As long as she knew Crandall, he never really mentioned his mother to her, and always talked about his father. Sure, she asked about it once, but he instead just shut her down and dropped her off at her house after a rescue. She felt like she knew more about Crandall’s father than him in all honesty, so to hear that his parents were divorced and his mom going missing in their world was a shock to hear!

“ _Of course_ she’s alive,” Malefica then said, “Poor dear needed to be put under CSA protection after the divorce, so we held an extraction to bring Lucy Faire to Fanterra.”

“How do you know my mom’s name?” Crandall then asked, while Polly was surprised by this information as well. Sure, she heard that Dynamo married Lucy Faire the fashion designer and had a son, but she didn’t know the woman went missing! Polly always assumed she was laying low so that people wouldn’t annoy her about the divorce case when she read about it one time.

“Because I was the one to head the extraction event,” Kite said, “And I worked her case, let’s just say she’s one of the few humans that needed our help over in your world. And since she was in danger after the divorce, I decided to rescue her before someone else Fridged her.”

Crandall's eyes widened at this, and as Polly shuddered, she knew full well what Kite meant. 

For a superhero, having a loved one Fridged was the worst thing that could happen to them. Not only was it cruel for anyone to murder or heavily harm a superhero’s significant other, but it was also a fast track to being blacklisted by the Council once the culprit was discovered. Which meant that whoever did such a deed would not only lose the protection of the Council but would be unable to do anything as a villain or hero ever again as they spent the rest of their lives in prison.

Still, as Polly saw Crandall’s serious face, she honestly felt sorry for the teen hero.

“Where is my mother now? And who did you save her from?” Crandall then asked, causing Kite Sid to blink as his shades slipped a little.

“White Mountain, can’t say where though,” Kite then said plainly, “As for her would-be assailant, that’s connected to the case I’m working on now.”

“Does our bet have anything to do with the case as well?” Crandall then asked, causing Kite to nod while only Malefica and the green corgi in Polly’s arms looked on in confusion as the rest of the group seemed annoyed.

“That’s right, Kid,” Kite then said, “Why? Do you plan on giving up?”

Crandall was silent for a moment before he looked to Polly before pulling out the blue pearl necklace from his waistcoat pocket. As he stared at it though, Polly wasn’t sure what thoughts went through his head as he did so, but she hoped he didn’t say he was going to try and keep going with that stupid bet.

“I don’t know yet,” he said as he slipped the pearls back into his pocket, “But, I want to hold onto them for now, until I make a decision.”

“That’s fair, I suppose,” Kite said with a sigh, and Polly decided to ask some questions of her own as something niggled at her memory of events just before she arrived in Fanterra.

“Mister Sid,” Polly then said, only for the man to raise a clawed hand and smile.

“Please, Polly, call me Kite,” he said kindly, “It will do this old faerie proud to talk to you on a first-name basis.”

“Alright, Kite,” Polly then said with a smile, “I was wondering about a couple of things regarding our encounter in Shoresville.”

“And what would that be?” Kite asked with a purr as he grinned in return, showing his fangs to the girl.

“Did you plan our encounter in Shoresville?” she then asked, “Also, was there a reason you turned my hair white?”

“To be honest, I didn’t plan our meeting in Shoresville since that was my week off and I decided to spend it with my girlfriend,” Kite said, earning a few raised eyebrows.

“You have a girlfriend?” Crandall asked, earning him a sigh from Mint as the shapeshifter covered his face with his hand.

“Yes, and she’s a wonderful woman,” Kite said, “She was also asleep in our hotel room so I decided to explore a bit before heading back when I ran into Polly and her friend Troy.”

“So, what about my hair?” Polly then asked while Steel and Malefica both merely gave Kite a stern look but remained silent.

“That was just me goofing around,” Kite said with a shrug, “I can return your hair back to normal if you want me to.”

“I’m fine,” Polly said with a smile, “I honestly like my hair being white, it’s better than being mistaken for Crandall’s sister all the time back home.”

“You used to have red hair?” Mint asked in surprise and seemed to be trying to imagine Polly’s original hair color once the girl nodded to confirm this fact.

“Anyway, I have a question for Cranberry,” Kite said, pointing to an annoyed Crandall, “Just how did you know where to find Polly to save the day? Or rather, cause trouble?”

Crandall said nothing, instead finding the ground much more interesting. Polly was starting to get angry at the thought that her ex-boyfriend may have been stalking her, and glared at him. Still, she said nothing and instead let her expression speak for her once Crandall locked eyes with her for a moment when he looked at her.

“Truth is, I didn’t know until my dad told me about what the Anachronism was doing,” he then said, “He told me the machine he was messing with might have been a doomsday device and that’s why I destroyed it.”

“Crandall Barry!” Polly then said, “The Anachronism said the Tidal Amplifier was for recreational use only! It only went haywire and put people in danger when you destroyed it!”

Crandall’s eyes went wide. From what Polly could see, he didn’t even realize what he had done until it was too late. But, as he whimpered out a “sorry” to her, she sighed and ran her finger through her white hair.

“Crandall, I’m not as mad as I should be, but I am disappointed in you,” she said as Crandall looked dejected.

“I know,” he said then, “I don’t even know what to do from here.”

“Well, I guess for now,” Mint then said, “We help Polly with her quest.”

“Quest?” Malefica then asked, clearly intrigued as the green corgi licked Polly’s cheek, much to Kite Sid’s frustration as he growled at the dog.

“Yes,” Polly said, before she pointed to the black bracelet on her wrist, “My great grandfather was Ridley Dragonson, a dragoon, and I inherited the mantle about a week ago, I think. So, I’m currently on a quest to find Ridley’s old partner to try and befriend him and maybe take him on as my partner.”

“I see,” Malefica said, clearly intrigued by this, “Ridley and his father Danti’lefthel actually used to work for me in the CSA, before Ridley and Kite went to your world to help in that dreadful war. Polly, how would you like to become a junior agent and eventually a full agent like Ridley?”

“I’d rather think about it first,” Polly then said with a polite smile, “I don’t know what the CSA even is, so I want to make sure I know what I’m getting into if I agree.”

“That’s understandable,” Malefica said. “You have a good head on your shoulders, Polly, try not to lose it.”

The faerie then turned to Kite and frowned as the corgi then wriggled out of Polly’s arms and jumped to the ground, before she spoke again, while also giving Polly and her friends a clearer view of the black and silver remains of her wings as she flexed them before she spoked again.

“Now then, Agent Puss in Boots,” she then said, “It’s tie we get back to your investigation.”

“Yes ma’am,” Kite said, before glancing at Polly as Malefica picked up her corgi, “It was good seeing you Polly, good luck on your quest.”

All Polly could do was nod before the trio disappeared, before looking to see a relieved Steel Finch start walking again.

“Well, that was fun,” he said as he led Silver Arrow down the road, “Let’s get going to Gol.”

“Right,” Polly, Mint, and Crandall then said together, all of them wondering different things, though Polly wasn’t sure what the boys were thinking. But, she did know one thing:

She was excited to see what could be found in Gol.

~0~

In the city of White Mountain, there was a boutique called “Faire Play.” It was a lovely building that looked straight out of a storybook- white walls with black accents, and a red shingled roof to keep out the rain. The large window of the building also displayed the most beautiful gowns that were fit for a princess, as well as a couple of nice suits for men to wear as well. 

Inside the shop, however, a woman with golden blonde hair was busy working on a gorgeous blue and white gown decorated with silver snowflakes and aquamarine stones along the bodice and skirt. While she had help from her assistant, a man named Tom, a jeweler who had brown, white-streaked hair and a penchant for wearing black, she honestly felt that this gown was one of many she poured her heart into. 

After all, this was a gown meant for the crown princess’s birthday! 

As she hemmed the skirt she stopped to watch Tom affix a silver, snowflake-shaped pendant to the neck of the mannequin, she listened as the man hummed a bit in satisfaction before he turned to face the woman.

“You know something, Lucy, I think this will be our best work yet!” Tom said before sticking his hand in his pocket, where Lucy noticed a small box bulging on his thigh.

“We can always do better, never forget that, Tom,” Lucy said with a smile as she went back to hemming the skirt. She had to make sure that every stitch was perfect, every snowflake was unique, and most importantly, that every gem was in its proper place. 

“I know, love,” Tom said as he kneeled next to Lucy and placed his hand on her shoulder to try and avoid interfering with her work, “Though I have to admit, the past six years we’ve been together has been amazing, ever since we met, I’ve… well...I’ve fallen hard for you, Lucy.”

“I know, you told me daily for the past two years,” Lucy said with a laugh, “I’m just glad my former husband isn’t here, who knows what he might do to us if he ever learned we’re in a partnership.”

Tom laughed, “Too true, but he gave you up when he ended your marriage, so… I was wondering if-”

“Of course I’ll marry you, Tom,” Lucy said, giving the man a kiss on the cheek, causing the man to smile as he pulled out the box in his pocket and opened it up to reveal a beautifully made ring with an emerald clover set on a golden band made to look like the twisted stem. After Tom slipped it on her finger, the woman examined it and smiled as Tom explained the ring’s meaning.

“You always said you liked searching for a four-leafed clover as a child,” he began, “but could never find one. When we met, we were both a mess- you with your recent divorce and the scars on your heart, and me with my bad luck when it came to finding work. When you proposed we work together on our boutique, I admit I was skeptical, but your business sense and beautiful designs, as well as your headstrong approach to your work… well, it helped change my mind. Lucy, I love you and I realized two years ago, I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you. I just hope this ring I made for you proves that.”

“Thomas Brightwater, you really know how to make my heart melt,” Lucy said before moving to kiss her fiance, just before a simple sapphire bracelet on her wrist started to blink. Sighing, she knew what this meat, as did Tom as he pulled away from her and gave her a knowing smile as he went to the backroom to give his beloved some privacy.

Lucy tapped the blinking gem before she spoke up.

“Kite Sid, what is it?” she said, just before Kite’s voice came out of the stone.

_ “I hope I’m not interrupting anything, Lucy,” _ he said,  _ “But I have some news, your son is on his way to White Mountain with his ex-girlfriend, and two others they’ve befriended. I figured I’d update you on his progress.” _

Now this was a surprise! Last Kite Sid told her anything, it was that he brought her son to Fanterra, and while she was afraid that her ex-husband was in this world with their son, she was relieved to hear that wasn’t the case. But, as that was a couple of weeks ago, she honestly worried her son got into trouble.

But to hear that he was on his way…

“Does he know I’m here?” she then asked, only for Kite to pause for a moment.

_ “He doesn’t know everything, but he knows you’re in White Mountain, at least.” _ Kite said, while Lucy gained a determined look on her face.

“I see,” she then said, as she glanced at the ring on her finger, “I’ll be sure to keep an eye out for him, after all, we have a lot to talk about.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, at long last, we get to see Kite Sid in person again.
> 
> I know this chapter isn't very action-oriented, instead of focusing on exposition, but I felt that certain questions needed to be answered about the start of the story. 
> 
> Also, Malefica's green corgi is a Cu Sith named Beaucephalis, and he lives to make Kite's life hell sometimes. That's most likely not going to come up in-story for a while though, so... yeah.
> 
> Anywho, we also get to meet Crandall's mom, who becomes happily engaged to her partner, Tom. The engagement wasn't actually planned though, it just happened while I was writing. Still, it was a fun moment to write and I hope it was a cute moment for the reader as well.
> 
> Anyway, that's all for now, see ya next chapter, where we go back to see what Troy is up to.
> 
> Also, don't forget to join the story's discord server! If you want to help contribute to the story or just hang out, the server is for you!
> 
> https://discord.gg/aPZAtQs


	16. Therapy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Dunnin family get a surprise visitor, also Troy ends up starting therapy with an interesting individual

Morning aboard the Symphonia had become a routine in the past couple of days. 

Starting with Breakfast with his parents, Troy soon found himself back in the training room after checking up on Polly in Fanterra. After seeing Polly get up before anyone else in her party to practice her magic, he went to the target range and took a deep breath to center himself while his father set up the targets. He felt his hands crackle with solar energy like he'd seen his mother do so many times, and once the targets started moving in front of him, he raised his hands and fired.

The holographic targets broke with each hit, though he did clip a couple of them with a stray blast. As his father set up a new round of targets, Troy was honestly surprised he had managed to hit mostly bullseyes despite being a newbie at ranged attacks. As he thought about it, he realized that he and his father had the same talent it seemed, especially since his father always hit a bullseye without even trying some days.

To his knowledge, the only one with that skill was Black Bullet. However, that villain had retired and never took on any students as far as anyone knew, so how was it his father was such a great shot?

"Troy," his father then said, getting his attention, "Something on your mind?"

"Yeah," the teen then said, "I've been wondering how we're pretty good shots, especially me since I've never really fired anything before my powers came in."

"Hmm... maybe we're just lucky?" Bill said with a shrug before his son decided to ask something else.

"What if we're secretly related to Black Bullet?" he said, causing his father to pause and hum in thought.

"That would explain somethings I've been wondering about for years..." he said more to himself but shook his head before he set up some new targets for Troy to destroy, "Anyway, don't forget you're starting therapy today."

"Yeah, I know," Troy said, "I'm just glad Symphonia helped select the best therapist for the job based on how well they listen. I read online that sometimes it's difficult and costly to find a therapist that can click with someone."

"You're welcome," Symphonia said as her hologram appeared in the training room, "Though, because of the nature of the therapist I've selected, they will be staying aboard me as well."

"Why's that?" both Troy and his father asked, while Symphonia smiled a little sheepishly.

"Because the therapist was the former crew's counselor. He's currently in the process of coming out of Cryostasis for the express purpose of helping Troy," Symphonia said, causing a worried scowl to appear on Bill's face.

"This isn't going to end up like what happened with your former captain, is it?" he said, recalling the incident where the former Captain Brutus was accidentally brought out of stasis and tried to take over the world with the ship.

"Counselor Tou-linc is from a race of mediators," Symphonia said, "I have also scanned his mental faculties with my systems, and they are the same as they were before he entered stasis with the rest of the crew."

"I see," Bill said, "Well, before Brutus was released, the last person you willingly thawed out was rather helpful, so I trust your judgment here, Symphonia."

"Thank you, Captain," the holographic woman said before throwing up a screen showing something in the medical bay of the ship for a moment, before dismissing the screen just as Marian came into the training hall with a pair of practice swords.

"Hi mum," Troy said while the blonde smiled at her son.

"Hello Troy, you ready for swordsmanship practice?" she then asked, causing Troy to nod. While he appreciated the practice for if his powers ever failed him, he had to admit that when it came to weapons training, his mom was a little brutal.

Then again, she was a warrior that had been through who knew how many battles before revealing herself in World War II, so it made sense that she would be well versed in how to properly wield a weapon in battle.

"Yeah, Mum," Troy said with a smile and was just about to grab the offered blade when Symphonia spoke up again.

"It seems there is a visitor outside my hull," she said causing Bill to let out a groan.

"Is it Silver Thruster?" he said with a bit of hope in his voice, only for the holographic woman to shake her head and bring up a new screen to show the Dunnin family. 

"No, Captain," Symphonia said as the family watched the screen to see a muscular man with graying red hair wearing an old-fashioned superhero costume in blue and yellow. He looked to be in his late forties, but as Troy recognized the figure, he knew that the man on-screen was much older than he looked.

"Lionel?" Marian then said in surprise, the goddess of light calling Mr. Dynamic by his real name.

"Seems that way," Bill said, before asking, "Symphonia, any sign of Dynamo?"

"No," the hologram said, "And my sensors are only picking up a full Dyansian outside."

"Want me to go talk to him?" Marian then asked Bill, "I mean, this does seem pretty suspicious..."

"I know, honey," Bill said with a frown, "I'll go on and check it out, if anything happens, then Mo-er, Symphonia will activate her defenses."

Ignoring that his father almost called the ship mom for the moment, Troy then watched the man leave the training room in a flash of light, before appearing on screen in his black costume with glowing blue accents and mask. Most likely because this seemed to be a formal discussion between heroes.

~0~

  
Outside the ominous-looking Symphonia, Bill Dunnin was rather thankful that his ship's teleporters were working and also got him in costume as well. Sure, he recycled it from an engineer's uniform he found years ago onboard the ship with some added technology he and Symphonia had created together, but he still felt it looked pretty cool.

However, as he saw Mr. Dynamic land in front of him on the ground, he honestly couldn't help but feel a little giddy at the sight. Here he was, about to talk to one of his world's greatest heroes, and he wished it was under better circumstances. Sure, Mr. Dynamic came to his and Lady Wonder's wedding, but at the time he was too nervous to talk to the man.

"So..." he then said a bit awkwardly as he tried to keep his cool, "How did you find the Symphonia?"

Okay, probably not the best question to ask, but it was all his brilliant mind could think of in the event of a brainfart!

"Oh, well... everyone kind of knows where you live after the Brutus incident a few years ago," Mr. Dynamic said, followed by more silence between the two men.

"Right," Bill said, before adjusting his goggles, "Well then, anything my family or I can help you with?"

"Well... I want to see if it's true," Mr. Dynamic said with a sigh, suddenly looking quite tired despite being the most optimistic superhero in the world, "About my grandson being in another world I mean."

"I figured Dynamo would have told you," Bill said, only for the older hero to shake his head.

"Beauford and I... haven't been in contact for a long time. To be honest, I hadn't even known about Crandall's situation until Marian asked me about how I was doing after Crandall's disappearance. I can't really handle social media that well, so I stay off of it."

"That's fair," Bill said, "So, what did you do?"

"Asked my son about it for the first time in years... it... didn't go well," Mr. Dynamic said with a sigh, before turning his head to reveal a bruised cheek.

Now that was alarming. What did Dynamo do to leave a bruise on his own father?! As far as Bill knew, Dynasians were practically invulnerable when not exposed to Dynatite.

Wait a moment.

Keeping calm as best as he could, Bill decided to do his best to explain things.

"Kite Sid gave my son a tool for him to keep an eye on his friend, Polly. It's also being used to keep an eye on Crandall."

"I see," Mr. Dynamic said with a sad smile, "Is my grandson safe?"

"Well... that's going to take a bit of explaining," Bill said, "Would you like to come in, Mr. Dynamic? We have recordings we can show you."

"Thank you, and call me Lionel or Leo," the older hero said with a smile, "After all, you're Marian's husband, and I want us to be friends."

"R-right, very well, Lionel," Bill said politely, while also keeping himself from squealing in delight at this development. Of course, as it was now time to head inside the ship, he fiddled with his gauntlet and spoke into the comm unit built into it.

"Symphonia, two to transport," he said, before looking to Mr. Dynamic, no, Lionel, only for his vision to be filled with a bright flash before he and the older hero were back in the training room with Marian and Troy. Bill saw that the two had seemed worried, but as he took off his mask and gave them a reassuring smile, he stood by as Lionel decided to speak to his comrade in arms.

"Hello, Marian," he said with a grin, despite the bruise on his cheek.

"Hello, Lionel," she said in return, "Enjoying your first visit to the Symphonia?"

"Of course!" Lionel said happily, trying his best not to act like a little kid and failing as Symphonia's hologram watched on, "I've always wanted to see this ship in person, and I can't believe the technology I'm seeing! I mean, sure it looks scary on the outside, but inside there's a beauty to it!"

"I know," Marian said, while Symphonia's hologram smirked a little and shook her head, while Bill and Troy were surprised to see the most upbeat superhero compliment their home. Sure, it could use some repairs here and there after the Brutus incident, but in all honesty, Bill was glad that his home had caused Lionel Barry to act like a major nerd as he went on about the surprise he got from teleporting onto the ship.

"Mister Barry," Symphonia then said, getting the older hero's attention, "Would you like to have a check-up in the medical bay? I'm detecting several injuries in your body."

"Would I ever!" Mr. Dynamic said with his winning smile, before cringing a bit, "Are we going to teleport again?"

"No, the Medical Bay is just down the hall from here," Bill said as he headed towards the door to the training room, "We can go together and talk about what your grandson's been up to along with his ex-girlfriend."

"Ex-Girlfriend?" Mr. Dynamic said in surprise, before sadly adding, "I... didn't even know he had one in the first place. I haven't been in contact with Crandall since the Camping Argument, though heaven knows I tried to get in touch."

The Dunnin family were silent at that as they exited the training room with their guest. While Bill didn't know what his wife and son were thinking, he couldn't help but feel a painful familiarity about Crandall's situation. Sure, the teen hero probably wasn't going to be sacrificed to empower a sibling as he was, but the lack of contact with the outside world and a father who held back his love was something he was fully aware of.

"I'll be sure to have Symphonia make you a 'Dynamo Sucks' t-shirt," Bill then said in all seriousness, causing Lionel to laugh a bit.

"I wear a size 3X," the older hero then said, before they entered the medical bay where Symphonia's AI was now portraying herself in a white lab coat and a variety of scanners hovering about an examination table.

"Please sit down, Mister Barry," Symphonia then said, and as the older hero did as he was told, Bill could see the excitement in his eyes as he looked at the various technology scanning him. As Symphonia compiled data, the Dunnins presented a tablet to Lionel, so that he could catch up on what was happening in the other world.

"Mister Barry," Symphonia then said as he watched the recorded footage so far, "It seems that you have a broken rib, a bruised cheek, and a myriad of fractures in your shoulder. Would you like me to use my systems to repair your body?"

"Yes, thank you," Lionel said politely before going back to the footage as Bill watched the machines hovering around him fired beams of light that he knew would repair anything with tech from the future. After all, this technology was what he used as the basis for the Resurrector he built and was now in the process of upgrading.

When the recorded footage got to Crandall, Lionel's eyes widened as the recording played the voice of Silvas the dragon.

"Never in all my years did I expect to see a dragon.." Lionel then said as he paused the recording, "Nor did I expect Mary was pregnant with Ridley's son."

"We were surprised too," Marian said, "But as it stands, Polly Andrews is the new Dragoon, or will be officially here in this world when she and Crandall come back."

"I see," Lionel said, before sighing, "I'm just... disappointed in my grandson's behavior. I mean, yes, he was forced to reveal his secret identity, but to act like he did... My son has failed as a parent."

"Crandall's actually starting to get better," Bill said, earning a surprised look from Lionel, "Though, it did require him getting some sense talked into him by an immortal wizard named Steel Finch... and also almost being killed by another wizard named Roland."

"He was almost killed!?" Lionel said in surprise before frowning, "I guess we Dynasians must be weak to magic."

"It's possible," Marian said, "Though, Polly actually saved Crandall's life twice so far- the first time apparently being when Blackguard kidnapped her two years ago."

"I had heard about that kidnapping," Lionel said as he kept watching the recordings, now showing the talk between Steel Finch and Crandall during the night as he sped through them. However, as Bill watched the man's recovery end, he could tell he was miserable that this was most likely the closest he'd gotten to his grandson in years. Especially when Crandall spoke about the time his father and grandfather got into a fight about him going camping.

At that point, he paused the recording and sighed. Bill could tell that there was a lot on the Dynasian's mind and did his best to try and talk to the hero before him.

"If it's too much for you to process right now, you could always watch the recordings later," he said, only for Lionel to shake his head.

"No, no, it's fine," he said with a sad smile, "I'm just unsurprised that this happened. Sure, Beauford was a good child at Crandall's age, but... he's become so cold and distant after he stopped being my sidekick to become his own hero. I honestly don't know where I might have gone wrong. I thought I was a good father to Beauford."

Dynamo's name was Beauford!? Well, Bill certainly didn't see that coming. Still, while he filed away this bit of ammunition for future use, he watched as Marian sat down next to her friend, and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Lionel," she said, "I always thought you were a great father and a good friend. However, Beauford seemed to change when he tried to date me as an adult. I don't know what's going on through his head, but I honestly didn't like it when he tried to attack Bill and me when he found out we got engaged after a time loop."

Now that was a memory Bill never forgot, how he was just crawling out of bed in Marian's old apartment in Scrap City when Dynamo decided to visit and propose to her. Sure, his shocked face upon finding out she was seeing him was something he'd relish, but Bill honestly could have done without Dynamo's reaction afterward.

Still, he did wish he had recorded the beatdown Dynamo had gotten from Marian when he tried to justify why they were meant to be together.

"I see," Lionel then said with a sigh, "Sorry about my son, Marian."

"It's alright," the blonde said with a smile, "In any case, it might do Crandall some good to be away from his father for a while."

"I agree," Lionel said, "His behavior was appalling, and while I'm glad he's starting to get better, I'm just worried about what might happen to him when he returns."

"I am too," Marian said, while Bill and Troy remained silent still as they let the two friends catch up a bit, "but it's best to wait and see."

"Alright," Lionel said as his gaze when back to the tablet in his hands before his eyes widened. Bill decided to look over his shoulder and see Kite Sid on screen, talking about Lucy Faire's status.

"She's alive!?" he said, "I was told by Beauford that she was killed by an unknown assailant after the divorce!"

"Wait, what!?" Marian said, "The council had never received such a report!"

"Yeah, I'm calling bullshit there," Bill said flatly, "Also, anyone else wondering why the hell Dynamo refused to tell the Council but told his father about it instead?"

"Maybe so that no one would investigate?" Troy then said, and all eyes were soon on him as the teen continued, "I mean, it's bloody obvious now that Crandall's life went to pot after the divorce because his dad isolated him and did who knows what else to him to boot. Since Lucy disappeared after the divorce, it's possible that if someone dug deep enough, they'd find he'd been doing something shady."

"That... is a frightening thing to think about," Lionel said before a worried look came upon his face as the recordings ended. "Is there any more?"

"Not yet," Troy said, "I only checked on Polly and Crandall this morning, and he was still asleep. Not to mention the fact that I'm starting therapy today for nearly drowning right before this whole mess started."

"Speaking of," Symphonia then said, "Counselor Tou-Linc is waiting for you in his quarters. Would you like me to escort you there?"

"Sure," Troy said, and Bill watched as his son left the room with the hologram, leaving the three adults alone for the moment.

"So..." Lionel then said with an awkward smile as he tried to brighten the mood, "Bill, is it true you resurrected a dinosaur?"

"Of course," Bill said while Marian chuckled a bit, "Though, I'm just lucky Daisy wasn't doing more than exploring the city looking for plants to chew on... and that there weren't any laws in place about resurrecting fossils in the first place."

The adults laughed and started to chat a bit about past adventures while Troy was off to see his new therapist. Sure, Bill had his own worries about Symphonia's old crew due to Captain Brutus, but he also remembered the man she had revived before the awful ex-captain, Doctor Thaddeus Aster.

Doctor Aster was a good man in Bill's opinion. He had met the good doctor when he first found Symphonia, the ship thawing him out of Cryo-stasis so that Bill could be examined for any issues. He had been surprised to hear that the ship and the doctor had come from the future, but didn't learn anything more than that. Mainly to protect the timeline, according to Thaddeus. 

Well, as Thaddeus and Bill lived together on the ship, Symphonia had also asked the doctor to act as a parent for Bill until he was an adult. While this irritated the cult that sought Bill for their ritual, he had to admit that Thaddeus was a badass when it came to fighting them off with Symphonia's help. In fact, he remembered one time when the cult had found him in Swing Town, and Thaddeus had to fight them off with a blaster and a bag of apples to save him. 

Sadly, he had died of old age when Troy was six and living with his mother, causing Bill to go down to New Orleans to attend his father figure's funeral alone. It had been hard, losing someone he loved, but as Bill gave a sad smile, he realized that he wasn't really alone, especially since he had his family.

Something he wouldn't even have if it hadn't been for Black Bullet rescuing him in the first place.

"Bill, is everything all right?" Marian then said, getting the ex-villain's attention.

"Yeah, everything's fine," he said as he wiped away the tears he realized were now rolling down his cheeks, "Just thinking of an old friend, that's all."

"Well, do you want to talk about it?" Lionel then said, causing Bill to pause for a moment, before giving a shrug and sitting down in a chair next to the examination table.

"Well, he used to be the ship's doctor, and when I found Symphonia as a boy, he helped her raise me..." he began and talked about what he could without going into detail about the cult for now.

He didn't want to think about what he left behind anymore.

~0~

  
Meanwhile, Troy and Symphonia's Holographic body had just left the hyper-lift elevator, stopping a couple of decks above the training room and medical lab. It was here that Troy recognized as one of the decks used to house crewmembers, and as he silently followed the holographic AI, he couldn't help but wonder who or what the counselor would be.

All he had was a name, Tou-linc, but he had nothing else. He tried to ask Symphonia for more information, but all her hologram did was smile at him and tell him to wait and see. Still, if the ship trusted Tou-linc, then maybe he should trust her as well.

"So," he then said, "What can you tell me about Captain Brutus? All I got from Mum and Dad was that he was a dick."

"That's putting it lightly," Symphonia said with an electronic sigh, "Ex-Captain Brutus was a horrible man in my opinion. He never listened to anyone but those that agreed with him. Even if I were to point out his mistakes when I developed a consciousness, he would instead threaten to wipe my databanks to reset my parameters, which honestly would have caused more trouble for the ship if the crew needed to check the archives."

"So, what caused everyone to go into stasis, anyway?" Troy then asked, only for Symphonia to cross her arms.

"Captain Brutus, in a rare moment of good judgment and care decided to put the crew into stasis when we encountered an anomaly. While I myself was in stasis, it seemed that anomaly transported us into the past. Unfortunately, my databanks about the time I originally came from are corrupted after a certain point, but I do recall how much of an awful human Brutus was."

"Did anyone actually like the guy?" Troy then asked, only for Symphonia to shake her head in frustration.

"I'd rather not talk about my former captain anymore," Symphonia said, and Troy decided not to push the subject anymore. After all, for all he knew, Captain Brutus was most likely dead after interrupting a nesting Fryzilla on the Island of Monsters.

"Well, is there anything you do want to talk about, Symphonia?" Troy then asked, causing the hologram to pause before smiling at the teen.

"Well, I wouldn't mind talking to you about the games you and your father play in your spare time," she then said, catching Troy by surprise.

"Sure thing," Troy said and was about to talk about them when Symphonia stopped again before a door marked "Tou-linc."

"Here we are," she then said before the door opened to reveal quarters containing the usual bed he had in his own quarters, but also a couple of aquariums lining the walls giving off a soft blue light to the room. As Troy walked into the quarters of his new counselor, he honestly had expected a tentacled being with psychic powers to be lurking in the room somewhere.

"Hello?" Troy called out as he spotted a desk nearby and sat down in front of it. It seemed that no one was there at the moment, which honestly felt awkward as he spotted a lump on the bed that started moving.

Then, out from under the covers poked the brown and blue head of an otter with a pair of antenna. Troy jumped a bit at the sight as the otter quickly wrestled it's way out from under the covers, before fumbling onto the floor in a heap. Troy, unsure of what else to do, got up and helped the large space otter from its soft prison before he was smacked in the face by a finned tail.

"Oh! Pardon me!" the otter then said as Troy covered his cheek with his hand, "I thought you'd take a little longer to get here, so I took a nap. My name is Counselor Tou-linc, and I'm an Ootarian!"

"Uh, I'm Troy Dunnin, son of the new captain," Troy said, unsure what the space otter was informed about the current situation.

"Oh? Was Captain Brutus finally court-martialed?" Tou-linc said hopefully, and clearly unaware of the Symphonia's current status.

"Uh... only if being sent to Monster Island during a kaiju's nesting phase counts as being court-martialed," Troy said, causing Tou-linc's black eyes to widen.

"Oh my!" he nearly shouted, "I mean, the Grand Prize suffered under his command, but I didn't think a mutiny would come about! Is there any idea who led it?"

"Uh... The ship is called Symphonia now, it's the year 2020, and my dad was kind of adopted by the ship's AI and a guy named Doctor Thaddeus Aster," Troy said, going over the cliff notes version of things, "As for your former captain... he kind of tried to take over the world and tried to erase Symphonia's databanks to reset her or something."

"Oh." Tou-linc said plainly as he walked from the bed to his desk and scrambled up the chair to sit down, inviting Troy to do the same, "Well, I do hope the new captain is better than Captain Brutus, and I wouldn't mind chatting with Doctor Aster again as well."

"Uh, I think your friend died when I was like, six," Troy said rubbing his neck and sighing as he saw the space otter before him deflate a bit.

"Oh..." he said sadly, "Well, at least the Grand Prize... I mean Symphonia has a better name now. To be honest, I hope that the rest of the crew is released from Cryo-stasis as well."

"Actually, you're the first crewmember I've met," Troy said, "And Symphonia never really released anyone after the ex-captain was accidentally revived before you. So, as far as I know, you're alone here, mate."

"Oh..." Tou-linc said again, before taking a deep breath and smiling at Troy, "Well, in any case, let's get started with the session. I was informed by the ship that you nearly drowned and that your friends were sent to another world?"

"Yeah," Troy said, "My friend Polly broke up with her boyfriend after I almost drowned, and then this faerie-cat with a guitar comes along and sends her to another world, followed by her ex."

"I see," Tou-linc said as he pulled up a screen and started making notes on it, "And what was it like, drowning?"

"Well, I couldn't breathe for starters," Troy said as he tried to recall what had happened that day, "I was so caught off guard by being swept under that I forgot that I knew how to swim. I couldn't really move, either, and I blacked out for a bit before I woke up on the beach with Dad looking over me, so I assumed he rescued me."

"Hmm... has anything like that happened before?" Tou-linc asked, only for Troy to shake his head as he watched the space otter levitate a glass nearby and cleaned it of dust with a cloth he pulled out of his pocket, "I see. Hmm... well, I really don't know how to help with a near-death experience in all honesty... I was assigned the Grand Prize, I mean Symphonia shortly after I became an ensign, and the Captain just... made me a counselor."

"Wow, he really was a dick," Troy said, "Why did he do that?"

"Because he thought an Ootarian could help people with trauma by using their powers to wipe their memory when it doesn't work that way."

"Wow, that really sucks, mate," Troy said as the space otter nodded in agreement.

"Indeed, not to mention memory erasure is taboo among my species," Tou-linc then said, "But in any case, what were you feeling when you were rescued?"

"Well, when I came to, I was royally pissed that my friend's ex-boyfriend didn't even try to rescue me, but now... I don't even know what to feel towards him. I want to be angry, but after hearing what he's been through... All I can feel is that he's had a shitty life after his parents divorced."

"What do you mean?" Tou-linc then asked, clearly confused. So, Troy told him about how he'd been keeping an eye on Polly and Crandall through a crystal ball. He told the space otter about all he'd seen so far, and how he learned more about Crandall than he expected. As he talked, Tou-linc listened in silence, putting his paws together in thoughts.

"I'll probably need to talk to Crandall in person about all this," he said, "However, we are here to talk about you, Troy. So, is there anything else you want to talk about?"

"Well, I'm getting used to having superpowers," Troy then said after a moment of thought, "They came in a couple of days after returning from Shoresville when some bullies jumped me and knocked me off my hovercycle. I fought them off, but, I'm just lucky I didn't accidentally kill anyone."

"Oh my, you didn't blow anyone up, did you?" Tou-linc asked, causing Troy to frown. Why did people keep asking him that?

"No, but to be honest, it felt good to fight back for once," Troy said with a shrug, while Tou-linc gave him a worried look.

"Well, maybe next time you see your attackers, you should perhaps talk things out?"

"Why?" Troy asked, legitimately confused, "I mean, they hate me for being an outsider and the son of an ex-supervillain, as far as I can tell. Why would they even want to talk to me?"

Tou-linc paused in thought, crossing his little arms and frowning a little. He remained silent as Troy felt a bit of pressure in his brain before the space otter let out a sigh.

"Pardon me for peeking into your mind," he said, "But after seeing your memories of your past encounters, all I can say is that maybe try talking to them the next time you see them?"

"That might be when school starts back," Troy said, "Last I heard, their parents grounded them for the rest of summer vacation."

"Oh," Tou-linc said sadly, "Well, maybe time to reflect on their actions would be a good thing!"

"Yeah, hopefully," Troy said as he rubbed his arm a bit awkwardly, especially since there was no telling what else Tou-linc saw in his mind.

"So... um... about your feelings for that boy, Fred was it?" Tou-linc then asked a little nervously, "I'd seen some same-sex couples aboard the Grand Prize, I mean the Symphonia in the past under Captain Brutus' command, but they normally had to hide their relationships for some reason."

"Oh.. uh..." Troy said as he blushed quite noticeably, "Well... I like Fred Andrews. He's a pretty cool guy like his sister Polly, and he's cute when he draws or practices stage magic. He's been nothing but nice to me since I got to Swing Town, and well, I want to ask him out, but I don't know if he likes me that way. I mean, I'm bisexual and had my heart broken before when I came out to my ex-girlfriend, and honestly... I don't want to go through that again."

Tou-linc's eyes widened at this information before he smiled at Troy. 

"Can you tell me about this ex of yours?" the otter asked, causing Troy to let out a groan.

"Yeah... her name was Megan, and she lived down the road from Mum's farmhouse in Wales. We grew up together and I thought we were good friends and that I could tell her anything... only to learn that she was biphobic when I came out to her," Troy said with a sigh, "She basically vague-posted about me on social media, people found out who she was talking about, and well, after some assholes doxxed me online, Mum had to deal with some more slander from some religious zealots who hated her." 

He sighed as he remembered that incident and continued, "Some people can't seem to accept that pagan gods are real, and are treated as an actual religion nowadays. Mum had to constantly explain that while she's not recorded in the Mabinogi like other Celtic deities, she's still a goddess of sorts. Well... when people doxxed me and revealed I was related to Mum, that caused the zealots to come to attack our house, which led to Mum defending us from being attacked. I remember the fight that the zealots brought to the farmhouse, how they worked with a supervillain known as The Crusader to try and "convert" us by force to follow their god."

"What happened?" Tou-linc said while Troy gave a small smile.

"Mum remained a pagan and used her powers to protect me from The Crusader's minions. While Mum battled The Crusader on her land, she actually blinded the guy with her solar powers, and her skills as a warrior were used to almost kill him in self-defense. While she did win the battle and drove off the Zealots, she broke down over what happened. I felt so guilty and felt like it was all my fault. I hugged Mum, just happy that she was safe, and broke down and told her how I thought they found our farmhouse in the first place. 

"Mum decided then that it was time I lived with Dad in America, instead of having him visit Wales on holidays. He's aware of what happened, and my sexuality but... I ended up telling Megan what happened before I left Wales. I felt I had to let her know that her actions nearly cost me my life."

"What did Megan do, when you told her what had happened?" Tou-linc then asked, while Troy let out a groan and covered his face with his hands.

"She turned out to be The Crusader's daughter and swore vengeance upon me for nearly causing her dad to die. It was incredibly awkward for me so I just went No Contact with her after that, blocked her on Social Media, and moved in with Dad here onboard the Symphonia when he came to get me a couple of days later."

"Oh my, aren't you worried she might find you?" Tou-linc said while Troy shrugged.

"To be honest, I am a little bit, but since my powers came in, combined with the fact that both my parents are here on the ship with me, I don't think a newbie villainess can handle an ex-villain turned hero, a Golden Age hero and their son all at once. Even if her dad does start training her, it will most likely be years before she can even act anyway, especially since she has travel fare, registration with The Council, and a whole slew of other things to worry about first."

"I see, I think," Tou-linc then said, tapping away at a screen as he took notes. "So, how has life been aboard the Grand-- I mean, the Symphonia?"

"Pretty good, Dad and I worked together in building a hovercycle for me to use when I turned sixteen and got my license, and I developed an interest in technology as well. Not to mention Symphonia's been pretty good to me as well, she honestly treats me like her grandson like she treats Dad like her own kid. Even if she is an AI."

"I see," Tou-linc said with a smile, "To be honest, I'm happy that the ship's AI found her own identity. She was miserable under the previous captain's command- we all were, but she suffered the most because she wasn't "real" to Brutus."

Troy was silent. He was still just a kid when Brutus threatened the world, but while he gleaned from his parents and Symphonia how bad the man was, to hear he mistreated a sentient being because they were artificial just felt... wrong to him. He cared for the AI that raised his father like it was family, and even if she wasn't created naturally, she was still real to him in the sense that she had thoughts and feelings of her own. 

Still, he let the space otter continue to speak.

"I honestly don't know how Brutus became a captain, I joined the crew at a later date, but during his command, everyone I knew just... hated him when I peeked into their minds. He was cruel, calculating, and heavy on punishment when crewmembers didn't do exactly what he wanted. I cannot recall how many times I was confined to my quarters for not using my powers to benefit him. I'm just glad he's gone, Troy. The world doesn't need a man like Titus Brutus in control of anything."

"Yeah," Troy said, honestly wanting to hug the space otter to comfort him, but wasn't sure if that would be professional between doctor and patient. Still, Tou-linc shook his head and smiled at Troy, before looking at the clock on his desk.

"Well, I guess our time is up for now," he then said as he got out of his chair and actually levitated back to his bed, "I'm going to try and take another nap- Cryo-stasis can be exhausting after being thawed out I'm afraid. It was a pleasure meeting you, Troy, and I'll see you in... a week or two?"

"Yeah, that sounds fair," Troy said, "Also, uh... if you ever go to the Farming Deck, just know we have an ankylosaurus on board thanks to Dad. Long story."

"Oh my!" Tou-linc said in surprise, "I think I'll ask Symphonia to send your father to me tomorrow so we can talk. As Ship's Counselor, I'll need to get to know my new captain as well."

"Yeah, I'm sure you'll be in for an interesting time, Tou-linc," Troy said with a chuckle as he stood up and stretched a bit. After getting a salute from the Ootarian, Troy then left the room to let his counselor sleep off the side effects of being in Cryo-stasis for who knew how long.

For him, this was just another new normal for his life as a newbie hero. Well, once he finished registration with the Council that is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, first off, sorry about the unexpected hiatus, I just... ran out of steam for the story for a few months. But hey, we're kicking off the new year with a new chapter, so that's good, right?
> 
> Anywho, in this chapter I want to address some behind the scenes bits involving Counselor Tou-linc.
> 
> Mainly the fact that originally, the counselor was just a therapist hired by the Council of Heroics and Villain known as THe Black Mist. But then I realized last week that hey, wouldn't Symphonia have a counselor or something onboard? And, after hashing out ideas with various online friends over Discord, Counselor Tou-linc was born, and his section of the chapter was a combination of writing by the seat of my pants and taking things from my hand-written notes for the story. 
> 
> Also, we finally meet Crandall's grandfather Mr. Dynamic, who is a major dork in modern times and also acts as a beacon of hope despite his cheesiness. Though, as said in previous author's notes, all is not well in the House of Dyna, and it seems that Dynamo is the reason for things being that way.
> 
> Finally, because I don't think this will come up in-story, here's an idea of Mr. Dynamic's origin story:
> 
> His parents were tourists on a space cruiser that was attacked by pirates, and in an effort to save their son, sent him away in an escape pod which ended up in the Mississippi Delta. There, the baby Dyansian was found by a woman and her sister, taken in and named Lionel by them both. They did their best to raise them without a father, and in my opinion, Mr. Dynamic turned out an alright person... even if his son's a dick.
> 
> Anyway, I hope that Tou-linc and Mr. Dynamic are good characters, and next time, we'll go back to Polly and Co as they reach the ruins of Gol.


End file.
